


Strange New Worlds

by The_Polybian_Forces



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Young Justice Season 1
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 105,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27720842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Polybian_Forces/pseuds/The_Polybian_Forces
Summary: Radical change is always scary. However, having someone by your side while you're going through it makes it far easier. Especially if that person has been through similar changes before. And when a young man gets put out of a job and evicted from his home, he would be more than happy to take the chance given to him. Even if it means putting up with a group of confused teens...
Kudos: 2





	1. Time of Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After another long, but enjoyable night at work, Polybius heads to his boss's office to learn some terrible news. This forces him to reach out to his best friend and mother in a desperate attempt to save the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, and welcome to this new story. For starters, I do not own Young Justice. I am also new to this site, trying to figure it out. I've been of FF.net for a while now, but after the recent mess they had, I decided to come here and give this site a try. Depending on how much I like it, I might port over my other two works.
> 
> Without further delay, I welcome you to this new story "Strange New Worlds."

_Chapter 1_

_Time of Need..._

Polybius looked over at the clock hanging over the wall of his boss's office. It was just past 6 AM. Time for the day shift to come replace him.

However, something was off. It wasn't like Bobby to be late. Bobby was never late, and when he was, something serious had happened.

Usually, by this time, Polybius was clocking out, letting Bobby know what he had done the previous night before going home and enjoying himself before 6 PM when his next shift started.

Not that Polybius had ever cared much for Bobby in the first place. The man was lazy and often left a lot of work for Polybius to achieve during the night. However, their boss, Jeff, refused to fire him because Bobby was married to his daughter. This left Polybius stuck in a crappy situation, but the young man didn't really care.

The truth was, despite Bobby and a small handful of other things, Polybius genuinely enjoyed working the night shift as he was the only one working the night shift. He was the only person in the building from the hours of 8 PM when Miss Tracy, the HR lady, got off. This would leave Polybius alone until about 5:30 when his boss, Jeff, came in.

Polybius was the building's night janitor. Sure, he didn't make much money, worked long hours, and could use an extra hand at night, but that didn't matter to the young man. What mattered, is that he was alone with nothing but his music and thoughts to keep him company.

That, and the occasional call he could get from his family or friends every now and then. When that happened, Polybius would find himself talking to them for hours on end as he continued working. Otherwise, it was the usual heavy metal that kept him going through the night.

Looking over to the nearby window, Polybius couldn't help but smile. Last night, his main project was to do a deep clean of all of the windows, which he accomplished. They were so clean, you could see your reflection in them.

And that was what Polybius's eyes were looking at. Starting at his feet, Polybius was wearing a pair of simple white tennis shoes and white socks. He had on black jeans, with a black belt. He had on a white tee shirt with a purple eagle on it, wings spread out in a roman style, under his black jacket that was zipped up. His skin was pale, and his face cleanly shaven. His black hair was cut short in a high and tight skin fade. His hair looked exceptionally good as he had gotten it done right before his shift that night and was still somewhat fresh.

Looking back at Jeff's office, Polybius then realized that no one was clocking in. Usually, a handful of people started bright and early, but today nobody was here.

Nobody except Jeff, who was in his office. The light was on inside, and Polybius could hear Queen being played inside.

"Boss?" Polybius asked as he knocked on the door and walked in.

"Polybius." Jeff greeted back.

"Where is everyone?" Polybius asked, "I don't recall there being any holidays going on now."

"There aren't." Jeff said.

"Well, what's going on then?" Polybius asked, "It's not like this company's employees to be late."

"That's because they don't have a job anymore." Jeff stated.

"What?" Polybius asked, "They're all fired?"

"Not exactly." Jeff stated.

"Then what?" Polybius asked, confused.

"Polybius…" Jeff started, "There isn't an easy way to say this, but both of us are now out of a job."

"What!?" Polybius asked.

"LexCorp bought out our parent company." Jeff explained, "And their first action is to consolidate and reduce the number of locations we are operating."

"But we're the largest one in this state!" Polybius countered, "How are we getting shut down."

"Look outside." Jeff said, "This city is dying, has been for a long time. We would have dozens of more workers if this city had the population it did back when I was a kid."

Polybius couldn't help but agree. The number of abandoned buildings almost exceeded the number of people living in the city. Years of poor policymaking by the local government in the area had killed the city.

"And I'm also sorry about what I'm about to give you." Jeff said.

Grabbing a piece of paper on his desk, he handed it to Polybius, and the young man's eyes went wide with shock.

"An eviction notice!?" Polybius questioned.

Jeff wasn't only Polybius's boss, but also his landlord. Jeff owned several apartments within the city limits. And while Polybius was the only person living in his building, Jeff had avoided shutting it down as it was also one of the better working ones.

"I'm sorry, Polybius." Jeff stated, "But I'm moving to Metropolis. I've already bought a couple apartment buildings out there from someone who has just died. Should bring in more money than I'm making now."

"But I've still gotta move out?" Polybius asked.

"Between you and me, no." Jeff said, "But I suppose you can stay there. I'm just going to abandon the building anyway. You're my last client, so if you don't want to move out, I'm not going to force you. But the city still cares enough to shut off your utilities here within a week, so I'd figure I'd try to motivate you to leave."

Polybius shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe this was happening.

"Go home, Polybius." Jeff ordered, "I thank you for your loyal three years of service to this company, but unfortunately, what we both knew this was going to happen."

"Yeah…" Polybius mumbled, "Say, uh, do you think I could follow you out to your new place? Maybe you can find me a job there?"

Jeff shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Polybius." Jeff said, "But I'm already taking over over-staffed buildings. I don't need you out there."

"I understand." Polybius said, "But why didn't you tell me before my shift started that this was going to be my last one."

"I was afraid you wouldn't show up, or you'd just leave." Jeff admitted, "You see, what tends to happen in situations like these is employees, especially salary ones, just stop showing up to work. It's best that they don't know that it's happening until after their final shift, so they keep coming to work."

"I see." Polybius stated.

"Goodbye, Polybius." Jeff said.

"Bye." Polybius returned as he walked out.

Polybius slowly walked down the sidewalk towards his house. He didn't own a vehicle as he neither could afford one nor did he really need one as everything was within walking distance from his home. That, and if he had to travel long distances, someone was always willing to come and pick him up as just about everybody was aware of his financial situation.

After a dreadful fifteen minute walk to cover a distance that normally only took him ten, Polybius arrived at his building. Walking into his one-room apartment, Polybius took a seat in his rocking chair by the one window in the room and looked outside. He still couldn't believe that he was out of a job.

Polybius had no clue as to what he was going to do. Jeff was right when he said that the city was dying. It could be argued that it was on its final breath right now as it was almost impossible to find a job. The company Polybius had worked for was the largest employer in the city, and now it too had joined the long list of companies closing their doors.

Polybius let out a long sigh as he began rocking in his chair as he tried to calm himself down with a technique his mother had taught him.

Taking control of his breathing, the young man forced himself to slow down. Taking a deep breath in, Polybius then held it for a few seconds before exhaling. This worked in calming him down and allowing his mind to try to find logical solutions to his problem.

After spending ten minutes thinking about his situation, Polybius decided he needed to call someone and get some advice.

Pulling out his smartphone, Polybius stopped just short of unlocking it. It wasn't like him to tell other people of his problems as typically, he kept to himself. He didn't really talk to his parent all that much about his personal issues.

Setting his phone down on a small table next to the window, Polybius's eyes drifted over to his wall. There he laid eyes on several pictures of people he was close to. People who cared about him and wanted him to succeed in life. People who would want to help him with his problems.

Looking back at his phone, Polybius knew that when they found out that he had become homeless or was living in an abandoned building, they were going to be upset with him. And he would rather reach out for help than have the people he was closest to upset with him over this.

However, Polybius was hesitant as his eyes continued to drift along his wall. It was tough for him to ask for help when he needed it. He had severe and deep-rooted trust issues, and it took him forever to trust his own parent.

Speaking of which, many would be surprised to learn who his parent was—or rather his adoptive parent, and the story behind it.

Polybius's adoptive parent was shocking, Black Canary. It wasn't long after she turned 18 that she took him in after a mission went really bad. She and many other Leaguers and a handful of their sidekicks were in a tight spot, and if it hadn't been for Polybius's valuable knowledge of the area, and how to work the device they used to escape, they all would have been killed that day.

Polybius had tried to stay back, they wouldn't allow it. They sort of forced him to go with them. He didn't want to go as he wasn't sure how he would adjust to the world they lived in as it was a strange one.

And while it had been hard for him to adjust, he did. That, of course, was thanks to the Justice League. And while all of them did take part in helping Polybius transition to this strange new world, it was Black Carny who spearheaded the charge. And Polybius couldn't be more thankful for that and always went out of his way to show it.

Picking up the phone, he stopped just short of calling someone as he thought about who to call. There were two people he thought about calling.

The first was his adoptive mother. He hesitated on calling her as she had been exceptionally busy the past several months. And while she did manage time to visit him at least once a month, Polybius didn't want to burden her with his problems if he didn't have to.

This prompted the young man to scroll down to his best friend, Donna Troy, who had also been there that day. In fact, when the Leaguers got stuck in that tight spot, it was her very first mission. And for some reason, of which, Polybius wasn't quite sure of, she really latched onto him. However, Polybius had assumed that it was because the two were the same age, and she was tired of being around people so much older than herself and needed a friend her age.

Whatever the reason, Polybius was thrilled to have her as his best friend. The two got along exceptionally well and were inseparable when together.

They both were also very open with each other and told each other secrets they haven't told anyone else. They both knew that in their time of need, the other would be there for them regardless of anything and everything. And if she ever called asking Polybius for help, he would and had done anything and everything to help her.

And now, he was hoping she could do the same for him.

Forcing himself to hit the call button, Polybius heard the phone ring on the other end for a few seconds before someone picked up.

"Hello?" The very familiar voice of Donna asked on the other side.

"Hey Donna." Polybius greeted back, his tone betraying his usually happy one he took up when he spoke to her.

"Polybius!?" Donna asked, concern immediately prevalent in her voice, "What's wrong!?"

Polybius couldn't help but chuckle as she knew him all too well. Just by the tone of his voice, she knew he was in trouble.

"Well…" Polybius started but stopped himself as he found it hard to say.

"Polybius, don't do this." Donna ordered him, "You know you can tell me anything."

"Yeah, I do." Polybius stated.

"So tell me what's wrong." Donna said, "If not, I'm going to fly over to your apartment right now and make you tell me!"

"Funny you say that." Polybius stated, "Because right now, I technically don't have an apartment."

"What!?" Donna demanded, "How did you get evicted!?"

"Because I'm also out of a job." Polybius added in.

"How!?" Donna asked.

"The company I worked for got bought out by LexCorp." Polybius started to explain, "And they are shutting down our location."

"And they're going to offer you a job elsewhere?" Donna questioned.

"Nope." Polybius said, "I was also handed an eviction notice on my way out by Jeff."

"Yeah, well, he's never treated you right." Donna countered, "But I'm not going to let you become homeless!"

"I was hoping you were going to say that." Polybius stated.

"Don't worry, Polybius." Donna stated, "I'm going to go talk to Diana and see if we can at least help you find a job."

"Maybe one closer to you?" Polybius asked, "It has been a long while since we last saw each other."

"I know." Donna said, "But let's focus on getting you a new home and job first."

"Right." Polybius stated.

"Say, while I talk to Diana, you should talk to Canary." Donna pointed out, "You should at least inform her of the situation."

"Eh…" Polybius let out.

"Eh?" Donna questioned.

"I don't know." Polybius said.

"Polybius." Donna scolded, "She is your adoptive mother! You need to tell her about this!"

"You're probably right." Polybius groaned.

"I am right." Donna said, "And if you don't tell her, I will. And you know she's going to be pissed if she learns it from me."

"Yeah, she will be." Polybius agreed.

"Exactly!" Donna said, "Now, Diana is going to be out for a few hours. If Black Canary can get a solution for you before she gets back, let me know."

"Will do." Polybius said, "I'll text it to you."

"I'll be waiting." Donna stated, "Now go talk to her!"

With that, Donna hung up the phone, ending the conversation. Polybius once again couldn't help but chuckle as she was one of the few people who could order him around like that.

Once Polybius recovered from his brief moment of laughter, Polybius then scrolled up and dialed up his adoptive mother.

"Hello?" Black Canary asked.

"Hey Mom." Polybius answered, once again, his usually happy and confident he took up with her not evident and replaced by a timid one.

"Polybius!?" Canary asked, clearly worried by his tone, "What's wrong?"

"I… uh- I lost my job today and got an eviction notice." Polybius answered.

"What!?" Black Canary asked.

Polybius then proceeded to explain what had happened and what he had learned today to her. It didn't take him long as he glossed over most of the details but got his message across.

"Of course." Canary muttered, "Well, as luck would have it, I think I can get you a job and a place to live where you'll be closer to the rest of the League and me."

"Hold up." Polybius said, "I'm all for getting closer to you, but the entire League."

"Polybius, everybody on the team likes you." Canary assured him, "Sure, not all of us were there when that whole fiasco went down, but they do care for you. And I promise you that this opportunity I'm pretty sure I can get you will be way better than anything else you can get."

"Maybe." Polybius said, "But how about I hear what the offer is first before I make any decisions."

"Fair enough." His mother agreed, "Well, some of the sidekicks have decided to form their own team."

"Is Donna one of them?" Polybius asked.

"No." Canary answered, "In fact, none of them were there when that all went down."

"Aw, man." Polybius mumbled to himself.

"But, we have been floating around the idea of assigning someone as the facility maintenance technician at their new base."

"So a janitorial position?" Polybius asked, "Like what I did before?"

"Almost exactly like that." Canary stated.

"Alright." Polybius said, "But, I just want to be clear that I'm not going to have to do any babysitting, right?"

"Of course not." Canary stated, "I'm responsible for their training, and Red Tornado is responsible for watching over them. But by having you there, that will take a huge burden off myself, Red Tornado, as well as the Team."

"Alright." Polybius said, "I'm interested."

"Prefect!" Canary said, "Let me talk it over with Batman real quick as he's in charge of them."

"Okay." Polybius said, "Just please get back to me as quickly as you can."

"Of course." Canary said, "Now hang tight. I think he's in his office right now. I'll call you back in a minute."

After hanging up, Black Canary wasted no time going to Batman's office, where he indeed was. Once there, she was quick to get his attention and give him the proposition.

"No." Batman answered.

"What!?" Black Canary asked, shocked by the answer.

"Maintaining a clean area is the first step in discipline." Batman stated, "If they can't keep Mount Justice clean, then we can't count on them to perform in the field."

"But this is Polybius we're talking about." Black Canary countered, "After everything he's done for the League, we can't turn our backs on him now! We have to help him!"

Batman shook his head.

"Look." Black Canary started, forcing herself to calm down, "I know you weren't there, but trust me, Polybius is an invaluable person to have on our side. If we can bring him closer to us, we can have him more readily available for if and when he decides to take the next step."

"If he takes that step." Batman said, "He hasn't done it for all these years. What makes you think he'll do it now?"

"I believe that with him being so much closer to all of us, it'll rub off on him and inspire him to get involved." Canary explained, "Just like he did when we met him."

"Are you saying that because he's actually valuable, or because he's your son?" Batman asked.

"Both." Canray truthfully stated.

Batman thought about the proposition for a moment. As he did, he then remembered his pre-inspection of Mount Justice. It had been abandoned for quite some time, and from what he could tell, needed a lot of work.

"How fast can he work?" Batman asked.

"However fast you need him too." Canary stated.

"Alright." Batman said, "Then here's what we'll do. Mount Justice needs a lot of work done to it. If I give Polybius the list of tasks he needs to accomplish within the timeframe I give him, he'll have proven his worth, and we'll hire him and give him a place to sleep in Mount Justice away from The Team."

"Done." Black Canary stated.

"Then go get him." Batman ordered, "And bring him to Mount Justice so he can get started."

Black Canary then left Batman's office and was quick to call Polybius and inform him of the news.

"So I just gotta get all of that stuff done fast, and he'll hire me?" Polybius asked.

"That is exactly what he said." His mother assured him, "You'll have both a job and a place to sleep."

"We'll that'll be easy." Polybius said.

"So that's a yes?" Canary asked.

"Hell yeah!" Polybius said, "When can I start?"

"I'm on my way to come and get you." Canary explained, "I'll then take you to Mount Justice, where Batman will give you the list of things he needs you to accomplish."

"Sweet." Polybius said his usual happy and confident tone he spoke with when he talked to her, now fully returning, "Well if that's the case, then I'd better start packing because I'll get the job done."

"Perfect." Black Canary finished, "I'll see you soon."

"See you soon." Polybius finished.

With that, Polybius heard his mother hang up the phone, and he immediately called up Donna.

"So?" Donna asked expectantly.

"I've got a job." Polybius stated, "And a place to live."

"I told you!" Donna said.

"Yeah, you did." Polybius replied back.

"As I've always told you, Polybius, after everything you've done, you will never be a burden to anyone." Donna assured him.

"If you say so." Polybius brushed off.

"You and I both know so." Donna corrected.

"We do." Polybius agreed.

"Exactly!" Donna stated, "You see Polybius, I told you that if you asked for help, we would help you."

"That did happen." Polybius admitted.

"So when do they want you starting?" Donna asked.

"Immediately." Polybius stated, "Supposedly I've got a test to do before they move me in, but I'm sure it'll be a cakewalk."

"You'll rock it!" Donna assured him, "But if that's the case, I had better let you go. Make sure you can pack up and get ready."

"Yeah…" Polybius agreed but hating to have to let her go.

"But I promise I'll visit you soon." Donna stated.

"You'd better." Polybius said, "I've been missing you quite a bit since it has been a decent amount of time since I last saw you."

"I know!" Donna groaned, "I've been so busy lately!"

"Busy is a good thing." Polybius stated, "Keeps you distracted."

"Sure does." Donna said, "But not as well as spending time with you."

"I know." Polybius assured her, "But I'll talk to you soon."

"Very soon." Donna said, "Bye."

"Bye." Polybius finished right before he hung up the phone.

With that, Polybius then jumped up and quickly got to work packing his stuff. He knew that whatever test was going to be given to him, he could do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 1. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, please don't be afraid to leave a review as I read them as feedback and try to gauge how well the story is doing based on them.
> 
> And as always, have a good one!


	2. New Tests and Old Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Black Canary, Polybius is almost set to land a new job. All he has to do is past a test first, measuring his capability to perform. As he does this, he gets a call from his best friend Donna Troy, who informs him of some troubling information that has been plaguing her for years. She confides in Polybius what is going on, and he grows worried about her.
> 
> Also, Claudia enters the stage, revealing that she is a hard working woman working for 'Organization'. She obsesses with her job of finding the mysterious 'Entity 82' and argues with the person she replaced, Doctor Wojtek, over the importance of the job. Wojtek pointed out that it has been years since anyone last saw 82. Claudia however, maintains that 82 is the biggest threat to everyone.

_Chapter 2_

_New Tests and Old Demons..._

Polybius had finished packing his belongings roughly thirty minutes ago. He didn't have many, and what little he did have, was already in boxes. This made packing up everything to go, go by relatively quickly, and now he was just playing the waiting game.

And sure enough, Polybius heard the knock he had been waiting to hear on his door finally happen.

Jumping up out of his chair, Polybius quickly answered the door to find his adoptive mother standing on the other side.

"Mom!" Polybius greeted as he opened the door.

"Polybius!" She returned.

The two were quick to exchange a hug, one that only an adoptive mother and her adoptive son could share.

For Polybius, it was moments like these that were the most special to him. It reminded him just how much his life had changed, how far he had come, and how genuinely grateful he was to live here.

However, all good things had to come to an end, and after a long hug, the two finally broke off.

"How are you?" Canary asked.

"Been better, honestly." Polybius admitted, "But I'm happy that things are going to work out."

"That's the spirit!" Canary encouraged, "Now come on, let's get you packed up."

"Way ahead of you." Polybius stated, "Finished that a while ago."

"Oh." Canary replied, a little surprised to hear that, "I'm sorry, I tried to get her faster, but Oliver caught me on my way to the Zeta tube."

"It's fine." Polybius assured her, "So long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

"Well, I'll be happier once you've got a job and have moved into Mount Justice." Canary stated.

"So will I." Polybius agreed, "While I'm not a fan of the idea of working for the League, I will be much happier to be a lot closer to all of you."

"Which is why we shouldn't waste time!" Canary stated, "Come on, I'll escort you to Mount Justice, where Batman is waiting with the list of stuff he needs you to do."

"Is that the test?" Polybius asked.

"You've got a timeframe as well." Canary added, answering the question.

"He's almost making this too easy." Polybius commented.

"That's what I like to hear!" Canary stated happily.

The two then left Polybius's apartment and began heading towards the Zeta tube entry point not far from where Polybius lived.

"So!" Polybius spoke up as the two exited the building, "What can you tell me about the Team?"

"What do you want to know?" Canary asked.

"Who all am I working with?" Polybius asked, "I know you said that it was no one who was there when I saved most of the League, but still, I'd like some specifics."

"Fair." Canary answered, "Well, for starters, there is Robin."

"Batman's sidekick?" Polybius asked.

"Yep." Canary answered.

"How old is he?" Polybius asked, "13?"

"Yep." Canary answered.

"Shoot." Polybius said, "He's practically a child!"

"In a lot of ways, yes." Canary agreed, "He has a lot of growing up to do, but he's still a good kid,"

"Fun." Polybius asked, "Who else?"

"Aquaman's sidekick, Aqualad." Canary went on.

"Hm?" Polybius questioned, "Don't know much about him."

"Unfortunately, neither do I." Canary admitted, "Honestly, I was never all that close to Aquaman."

"Then it'll be a fun learning experience for me." Polybius finished, "Who else?"

"Kid Flash." Canary stated.

"That little flirt?" Polybius asked, "Really?"

"Yes." Canary confirmed.

"Jeez." Polybius groaned, "Then maybe inviting Donna over might not be such a good idea."

"Why do you say that?" Canary asked.

"With his flirtatious personality, I just don't want him to accidentally tear open her old wounds." Polybius admitted, "I don't want her to struggle through that again."

"She's moved past that." Canary stated, "She's gotten better, Polybius."

"I know." Polybius stated, "I was there every step of the way with her. Every late-night call I got, every ominous text message, every day she spent with me. I… I just REALLY don't want her to go through that again. She doesn't deserve it."

"No, she doesn't." Canary agreed, "And I'm sure you'll do your best to protect her from that."

"You'd best believe I will." Polybius assured her.

Canary couldn't help but smile at her adopted son's protectiveness of his best friend.

"Anyway…" Polybius started, "Who else?"

"There is also Superboy." Canary stated.

"Never heard of him." Polybius admitted.

"That's because he's new." Canary explained, "As in, he's only sixteen weeks old."

"Excuse me?" Polybius asked, "Did I hear that right?"

"Yes. You did." Canary assured him.

"Sixteen weeks?" Polybius repeated, "What is he, a science fair project?"

"You're actually not that far off." Canary told him, "He's actually supposed to be the clone of Superman."

"A clone!?" Polybius asked, quite surprised to hear that.

"Yes." Canary stated, "He's a clone."

"Holy Moly." Polybius muttered to himself before speaking up, "And he's only sixteen weeks. Gosh."

"I'm sure you two will get along alright." Canary assured him.

"Oh, I'm sure we will." Polybius agreed, "It's just… clone."

"I know." Canary assured him.

"Let's move on." Polybius said, "Anyone else?"

"Batman has also decided to put Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian, on the team as well." Canary answered.

"Same powers as her uncle, I'm assuming?" Polybius asked.

"More like a watered-down version." Canary admitted.

"Interesting." Polybius stated.

"She just arrived here on Earth from Mars." Canary explained.

"Well, she's in for quite a culture shock." Polybius stated.

"You would know." Canary agreed.

"And is she it?" Polybius asked, "Anyone else they are going to throw on that Team?"

"As of right now, no." Canary answered, "But I'm sure they'll throw on others as time goes on. Who knows, maybe Donna will be on the team one day."

"Say, why aren't they putting her on the team?" Polybius asked, "Just curious."

"There are several reasons why." Canary stated, "But it mostly comes down to neither she, nor Diana really want her to be there right now."

"And?" Polybius asked.

"Well, Diana was citing the same concerns you just did." Canary explained, "With old wounds getting torn open by accident."

"There we go." Polybius said, finally getting the answer he was looking for.

"But, that doesn't mean they might put her on later." Canary spoke up.

"Well, so long as she's happy, that's all that matters to me." Polybius stated.

Taking a right, the two approached the Zeta Tube entrance. Polybius recognized it as he would use it in extreme emergency situations that had arisen every once in a while for fast travel.

"Here we are." Canary stated.

The Zeta Tube entrance was an old phone booth that looked to have been abandoned for at least two decades. However, it was refurbished and could only be opened by specific individuals, and was big enough for two people to go at a time.

"Time to say goodbye to this dump." Polybius said, looking around one last time, "Bye, bye, see you never again! Holy crap, this place sucks!"

Canary let out a small laugh at her adopted son's comment about the city as he wasn't right. However, his bluntness about it, for some reason, always got her. She didn't really know why but suspected that it was because it was the way he put it.

It wasn't long after that that Polybius was teleported across the country to Mount Justice. Upon walking in, Polybius immediately saw in just how bad of a shape it was.

Looking around, Polybius saw extensive structural damage, several layers of filth covering every surface, as well as the district smell of both rodent waste and their rotting bodies. It all hit Polybius at once and shocked him at just how bad this place was.

"Holy crap…" Polybius muttered as he walked in and looked around, "What did y'all do to this place? Use it for parties, and just never cleaned it up?"

"I had no idea it was this bad." Canary admitted.

"Polybius." The voice of Batman suddenly spoke up.

Looking down, Polybius saw Batman standing under one of the only working lights in the building. In his hands, he had a piece of paper, which Polybius correctly assumed was the list of tasks he needed to complete.

"Hi." Polybius greeted as he walked over a massive crack that looked like it was an ankle trap, "Geez, what did you do to this place?"

"It was abandoned after it became compromised." Batman explained, "But now, I need you to get it back up and running within the next three days."

"Three days!?" Polybius questioned, "You're out of your goddamn mind if you think all of this shit can get fixed in three goddamn days!"

"I know." Batman admitted, "However, your test is to see how much you can accomplish within those three days."

"Oh." Polybius said, calming down.

"If the amount of work you complete is satisfactory, then you will have both a room and a job." Batman explained.

"Well, if that's the case, then you're almost making this too easy." Polybius stated.

"I'm glad you think that." Batman said, "Everything you need is behind me."

Looking beyond the caped crusader, Polybius saw a mountain of both cleaning and maintenance supplies, as well as tiles to replace the floor.

"Here is a list of everything that needs to get done." Batman said, handing the young man the list.

"Is it in any order?" Polybius asked.

"No." Batman said, "You will decide the priority of everything, for if you pass this test, you will become in charge of facility maintenance."

"Okay." Polybius stated as he began looking at the list.

"Do you have any questions?" Batman asked.

"Seems straightforward enough." Polybius replied.

"Good." Batman said, "We will return in three days to see what you've accomplished."

Batman then proceeded to walk past Polybius and towards the Zeta Tubes.

"Jeez." Polybius mumbled to himself as Batman entered the tube, "Giving me a heart attack for no good reason."

"That's Batman for you." Canary commented, "Always cold and straight to the point."

"Go, figures." Polybius commented, "I swear, Robin had better not be like this."

"He's not." Canary assured him.

"Good." Polybius stated, "Just so long as I'm not playing no freaking babysitter with them, then I suppose it really doesn't matter."

"You shouldn't have to." Canary stated, "But it wouldn't hurt to reach out to them."

"Is that really my lane?" Polybius asked, "I'm facility maintenance. It's my job to keep this building running properly and assured it's maintained to a standard."

"That is true." Canary stated, "But since you live here, you should at least get comfortable with your roommates."

"Meh." Polybius replied.

"Meh?" Canary questioned.

"I'm not sure." Polybius admitted, "I mean, you know how I am. I'd rather stay to myself than interact with others."

"And I'm not saying you have to get as close to them as you have with Donna." Canary stated, "But you shouldn't hide from them, nor ignore them. You should at least talk to them and get to know them a little bit."

"Eh…" Polybius let out as he thought about it.

"Polybius." Canary started, taking up a more stern tone.

"I know you're right!" Polybius stopped her, "But I suppose we'll have to see what happens. See if they want to chat with me in the first place."

"I'm sure they will." Canary assured him, "You've just got to give them a chance."

"And I will." Polybius assured her, "Just gotta pass this stupid test first."

"You will." Canary assured him.

"Oh, I know I will." Polybius assured her, "But I had better get started. The more time I waste, the worse score I'll get."

"You are correct." Canary agreed, "I'll make sure to check up on you and see how you're doing."

"Yeah, make sure I don't lose my mind here." Polybius joked.

"I love you, Polybius." Canary said in a motherly tone.

"I love you too, Mom." Polybius returned.

The two exchanged a quick hug before Canary walked off to the Zeta Tube, leaving Polybius alone. Once she did, Polybius looked back at the mountain of supplies behind him.

"Okay…" Polybius started, eyes now moving around the rest of the room and then down to his list, "Where to start?"

Then, as if on cue, the generator that was powering the few lights that were working in the building died, leaving Polybius in total darkness.

"Fuck!" Polybius shouted in the darkness.

Stumbling his way into the generator room, it didn't take long for Polybius to fix the problem as it appeared that rats had eaten the wires. Luckily, Polybius found the generator maintenance kit in the pile of supplies he had been given.

Once the wire was replaced, Polybius then set to work on restoring the essential utilities such as plumbing, lights, air heating, and cooling, as well as repairing major structural damages.

However, late into the first night, as Polybius was finishing a major repair in the kitchen, he felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. And while Polybius was always happy to get a call, he was both confused and scared to see who it was.

"Donna?" Polybius asked himself, questioning what she was doing up at such a late hour, "This can't be good."

Polybius didn't even hesitate to tap the 'accept' button on his touch screen.

"Hello?" Polybius asked, in the usual happy tone he took up with her.

"Hey, Polybius." Donna greeted; however, it was clear that she was shaken by something as Polybius instantly recognized that tone.

"What's wrong?" Polybius demanded.

"I had another nightmare about what happened." Donna answered.

Polybius let out a long sigh as he knew just how bad this situation had the potential to be.

"How bad?" Polybius asked.

"Not the worst one I've had." Donna said, "But I did relive some of the more… nasty bits."

"Ew!" Polybius commented, "Just those bits?"

"Those bits make me feel so weak." Donna explained, "Like, I'm supposed to be an Amazon! A strong independent woman! I'm not supposed to be weak like that- like this!"

"You're not weak." Polybius assured her, "You're one of the strongest women I have ever met!"

"I know you say that just to cheer me up." Donna countered.

"Excuse me?" Polybius asked.

"I said, I know you say that just to cheer me up." Donna repeated.

"No, I don't!" Polybius countered, his tone now more stern, "Donna, you have overcome some horrible demons. Sure, they come back to haunt you every once in a while. Trust me, I know better than anyone else."

"So?" Donna asked, "That… That shouldn't have happened to me in the first place!"

"But it did." Polybius stated, "We cannot change the past, no matter how much we dislike it. But what we can do is decide what baggage we carry going forward. And do you really want to carry all of this trauma with you forward?"

"No." Donna answered.

"Exactly!" Polybius said.

"But sometimes… Sometimes I just can't help it!" Donna said, sounding like she was on the verge of tears, "It just sneaks up on me every now and then, and it hurts so much!"

Polybius wished he could reach through the phone and pull Donna into a hug. He absolutely hated to hear Donna so upset over anything as it hurt him when she was hurting.

"I know." Polybius assured her, "Do you need me to come over there? You know I'll drop everything and do it."

"No." Donna replied.

"Are you sure?" Polybius asked, "You sound like you're about to cry, and if you start crying, then I'mma start crying, and then nothing is gonna get achieved."

Donna let out a small giggle at Polybius's comment. Polybius couldn't help but smile when he heard that.

"I'm sure." Donna assured him.

"You better not be lying to me." Polybius warned.

"Aren't you in the middle of a test?" Donna asked, trying to change the topic, "From Batman?"

"Screw Batman." Polybius said, "You are one of the few people I will drop anything and everything for."

"I know." Donna said.

"Now, are you sure you don't need me?" Polybius asked again, "I mean, I can stay on the line if you need that?"

"No." Donna said, "I don't need you, and you don't need to do that."

"So that means if I call in the morning, I'll call to find out that you are okay and haven't done anything stupid?"

"I won't do anything stupid." Donna assured him, her tone finally lightening up, "Thank you, Polybius."

"Anytime." Polybius assured her.

With that, Donna hung up the phone and went back to sleep. Polybius, meanwhile, continued to work on restoring Mount Justice.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, a young scientist was staring at her computer screen. She had been watching the same video over and over for hours on end for the past several years.

"Doctor Claudia?" A doctor greeted as he walked into the room.

"Doctor Wojtek!" Claudia returned warmly, "Tell me, how are things over in medical's world."

"Ah well, you know." Wojtek started, "After that last incident, we were quite overworked, but it's good to finally have some time off."

"You mean until the next one?" Claudia asked.

"Until the next one." Wojtek agreed before holding up a coffee cup in his hand, "Cappuccino?"

"Thank you." Claudia said.

Wojtek then moved around the desk and handed Claudia the drink. However, he also saw what was on the screen.

"This again?" Wojtek asked, looking at the screen.

"This doesn't make sense!" Claudia pressed, "It has never done this before!"

"Claudia, that happened years ago." Wojtek pressed, "Let it go."

"How?" Claudia asked, "This thing has never done this before! It has done nothing but attack and kill people on sight, but when these random people show up, it freaking helps them! And not only that, but it leaves with them!"

"So?" Wojtek asked, "It hasn't reappeared since then. Why are you so worried about it?"

"It worries me in the sense that this thing may be more intelligent than we had previously thought." Claudia stated, "And it's our job to contain these kinds of things, yet we have no freaking clue where it went."

"Well, considering how that thing is, you'd think that it would have already reappeared by now." Wojtek stated.

"I don't care." Claudia countered, "What I care about is the strongest and most powerful entity we contain, not only escaped without a trace but did things so far outside of its norms."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it." Wojtek assured her, "The way I see it, so long as it doesn't come back, then what do we really have to worry about?"

"It coming back." Claudia stated, "And if it has become more powerful… Then nothing, no super-powerful creature, no god, no anything, could save us."

"Then let's just continue to hope that it stays away." Wojtek stated.

"We need to track it." Claudia countered.

"We have." Wojtek stated, "Remember, I was head of this before you took it over."

"I know." Claudia assured him, "I know. It's just this thing… It keeps me up at night."

"It kept all of us up at night." Wojtek stated, "Everybody is afraid of this thing."

"Then why are we not doubling down our efforts to locate and find this thing!?" Claudia asked.

"Because it's been years!" Wojtek pointed out, "I'm not really worried about it coming back because if it does, it does. And we know how to deal with this thing."

"That doesn't mean we can't worry." Claudia stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed this and have a good one!


	3. Chapter 3: Greetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now having completed the test, Polybius is now officially the "Facility Maintenance Manager" of Mount Justice. He is introduced to Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Aqualad. However, he doesn't quite hit it off right with them, especially Kid Flash, who takes up a strong dislike for the young man. Despite this initial setback, Polybius does come around to the more mature members of the Team, and explains his history with the League, and how he got so close to them.

_Chapter 3_

_Greetings..._

"And… done!" Polybius triumphantly declared as he finished rewiring the stove.

Grabbing the cover, Polybius popped it back on the store and began checking to make sure everything worked correctly. When no errors came up, Polybius took a step back and grabbed his list.

"Alright." Polybius said to himself triumphantly, "Check. Next up is-"

"Next up is your evaluation." Batman suddenly spoke.

Looking over at the door, Polybius saw Batman, Red Tornado, and Black Canary approaching.

"Cool." Polybius said, "You will be pleased to find how much I have gotten through and that it is working correctly."

Polybius then handed his list over to Batman. As the caped crusader looked over the list, Polybius felt confident. He had accomplished a lot in the past three days, far more than he was expecting to. Polybius even reckoned that given another day, he could be entirely done with the list.

"Impressive." Batman commented, "Let's see if everything is as good as this paper looks."

Walking around the facility, Batman went through and looked over everything in great detail. However, despite his best efforts, he could find nothing wrong.

"Hm…" Batman questioned as the group finished their walkthrough.

"All good?" Polybius asked.

"Indeed." Batman answered.

"So, do I get the job?" Polybius asked.

"Give us a moment." Batman ordered.

Polybius nodded and walked out without a word.

"He did well." Red Tornado started, "High above satisfactory."

"Agreed." Black Canary agreed, "I know he was good at his craft, but I didn't realize he was this good."

"Something's not right." Batman stated, "He shouldn't have been able to get that much work done within three days."

"So you're saying he brought in help?" Black Canary questioned.

"Or he didn't sleep." Batman pointed out.

"From my knowledge on Polybius, it seems like the latter is the more likely answer." Red Tornado stated.

"Which shows just how much he wants this job." Black Canary stated.

"It does prove his commitment." Batman agreed, "But we should keep an eye on him."

"Why?" Black Canary asked, "Do you really think he'd betray us?"

"Betrayal is always a possibility." Batman stated.

"I'm sorry, but I have a hard time seeing him betray us after everything that's happened." Black Canary stated.

"Agreed." Red Tornado supported.

"There's always the chance he does it unknowingly." Batman pointed out.

Both Black Canary and Red Tornado stayed quiet as both of them knew that was a distinct possibility. It had happened to Leaguers before in the past, and it always caused confusion as well as a lot of pain.

Black Canary couldn't help but feel a little defeated at that moment. She was the one who orchestrated this whole thing for Polybius, trying to land him a job. However, with how Batman was talking, it sounded like he wasn't going to give it to Polybius.

"Which is why I expect you two to keep an eye on him." Batman spoke up.

Black Canary looked up at the caped crusader, a little bit confused.

"So you're saying he got the job?" Black Canary asked.

"That is exactly what I'm saying." Batman stated.

Black Canary smiled.

"Thank you." Canary said for her adopted son.

Batman nodded his acknowledgment before changing the subject.

"We will get him moved in this morning. Then we will get the Team moved in this afternoon." Batman stated, "Any questions?"

"No." Red Tornado stated.

"No." Black Canary followed up.

"Alright, then." Batman said, "You two do what you need to do."

Meanwhile, Polybius was leaning up against the wall. He was replaying the past three days over in his mind. He had worked nonstop and around the clock to do as much as possible. However, what had helped him tremendously, is almost nothing was as bad as it had been made out, or at first glance, appeared to be. This allowed him to get a lot more done with the relatively minimal work he had to perform on each task.

Hearing the door open, Polybius looked over to see Canary and Red Tornado.

"Well?" Polybius questioned.

"You got the job." Canary answered.

"I told you I would." Polybius stated, "Was there ever any doubt?"

"Never." Canary assured him, "Come on, let's get you moved in before they move the Team in."

Not long after that, Polybius and Black Canary were setting up his room. It was smaller than what the members of the Team were getting, but it was also tucked away in a corner of the building. The amount of space didn't bother Polybius as he was used to it. In fact, it was a step up in Polybius's eyes as the room was actually bigger than the apartment he had just moved out of.

However, while things were going smoothly, they came to a stop when Canary came across a massive safe that was half as tall as her and twice as wide.

"What's in this?" Canary asked.

"Oh, you know." Polybius started, "Important documents, a few things that have no meaning to anyone else but me."

"Only have meaning to you?" Canary asked.

"Yep." Polybius answered.

"Like what?" Canary asked, "Just curious."

"A few things from the past." Polybius answered, "Just a handful of memorabilia items from those times."

"Why would you want to remember that?" Black Canary asked.

"Keeps me humble." Polybius stated, "A reminder of just how far I've come in life."

"Oh, I see." Canary said, realizing the logical reasoning behind it.

"Yep." Polybius said, "Why don't we just tuck this away in a corner. Don't want the Team snooping around in it."

"They won't." Canary stated, "They should respect your space."

"Yeah, well, I'm not gonna put it past a bunch of teenagers to pretend like they're the Scooby-Doo gang and investigate stuff." Polybius countered.

"I can't say I blame you." Canary agreed.

It wasn't long after that that Polybius was fully moved in. He took a seat in his rocking chair and leaned back.

"Sucks that I don't have a window." Polybius commented, "But this will do."

"Well, beggars can't be choosers." Canary countered.

"Hey, I didn't beg for this." Polybius pointed out, "I agreed to do this."

"And what would you have done if I didn't get you this job?" His adoptive mother asked him.

"I'd have figured something out." Polybius said, "I am very resourceful, after all."

"Not when it comes to finding a job." Canary countered.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Polybius countered, "Who knows! Maybe I should have put on a stupid mask and cape and called myself Super Dickhead Number Nine! And my superpower is I can harness the power of my clinical depression!"

Canary and Polybius laughed at the young man's over-exaggerated statement.

Not long after that, the two stood with Red Tornado, Batman, and a half a dozen other Leaguers as they waited for the Team's arrival.

Luckily, the wait wasn't long as they saw the four young males walk in.

"Who's he?" Robin whispered over to Kid Flash.

"No idea." Kid Flash responded, "Never seen him."

Batman was quick with his brief. He introduced Red Tornado and Black Canary first, and then Polybius.

"This is Polybius." Batman stated, "He will be the facility maintenance manager and will be responsible for keeping the building up and running."

"Polybius." Aqualad repeated, "I've never heard of you."

"That's because he isn't a hero." Black Canary explained, "However, he saved more than half the League a while back. Many of us feel like we owe him a favor, and when he got put out of a job and evicted earlier this week, we had to help him."

"What happened?" Robin asked.

"The company I worked for got bought out by LexCorp." Polybius explained, "Their first act was to close down and consolidate the number of locations we ran. They closed down mine because the city it was located in is on its last dying breath. My boss was also my landlord and evicted me to try and get me to leave."

"So that's how you ended up here?" Superboy asked.

"Exactly." Polybius said, "I'll be living with you all. I've got my own room tucked away in a corner of this facility. It's clearly marked with my name on the door."

"Okay." Kid Flash started, "So Red Tornado and Polybius will be living with the four of us, right?"

"Five of you." Batman corrected.

"Five?" The Team Questioned.

The group was then introduced to Miss Martian, who was quickly nicknamed Miss M with the ran Earth name of Megan. It wasn't long after that that the Team was tasked out. Polybius, who already had a good grip on the place, decided to retire to his quarters.

"I'll see you again soon." Canary stated as she had to leave, "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom." Polybius returned.

The door then closed behind her, and Polybius was left alone. He began rocking in his rocking chair until his eyes drifted over to his safe.

"It has been a while…" Polybius remarked, thinking about how long it had been since he last opened it.

Moving over to the safe, Polybius quickly opened it and pulled out some of the paperwork. He was looking for a specific document, which didn't take him long to find as he had everything in a numbered order with dividers separating every hundred entries.

"Here we go." Polybius said, pulling out the entry he was looking for.

Polybius looked over the page but didn't get a chance to read it as he heard a knock on his door. He decided to answer it, and put the entry back in its proper location, and shut the safe before doing so.

Standing on the other side of the door was Miss Martian. She looked a little nervous but tried to portray herself as confident.

"Hello, Polybius, was it?" Megan asked.

"It is." Polybius returned, "How can I help you?"

"Oh, uh, I was just wondering if you would like to come and join us?" Megan asked, "You know, just, oh, what's the saying?"

"Chill?" Polybius stated.

"Yeah!" Megan replied, "Superboy and I will be living here, so I'd figure that since we're all sorta roommates in a way, we should get to know each other a little bit."

As she talked, she began speaking faster and faster. Her words were starting the jumble together, and it was a little hard for Polybius to understand her at the end.

"Slow down." Polybius said, "I'm having a hard time understanding you."

"I'm sorry." Megan said, "I need to slow down, calm down and-"

"Stop." Polybius said, holding a hand up, "Just breathe."

Megan did as she was told but was closer to hyperventilating than actually breathing.

"No." Polybius said, "Do as I say. Take a deep breath in."

Megan did as she was told.

"Hold it." Polybius said, waiting for five seconds to pass, "And out."

Megan let out her breath.

"Again." Polybius said, "Breathe in."

After doing this a couple more times, Megan had clearly calmed down.

"Better?" Polybius asked, just to be sure.

"Better." Megan confirmed.

"Good." Polybius said, "Now, ask me again."

"Alright." Megan started, "Do you want to come chill with Superboy and me?"

"There you go." Polybius cheered, "You see, you just gotta calm down a little."

"Thank you, Polybius." Megan said, "It's just coming to a new world has been really stressful for me."

"A world unimaginable different from your own, I presume?" Polybius asked.

"Yeah." Megan agreed.

"I totally understand." Polybius stated.

"You do?" Megan asked.

"Yes!" Polybius said, "I've been through it before."

"How?" Megan asked.

"That's a long story." Polybius said, "One I'd rather not get into. But I'd be happy to join you and Superboy, as well as the rest of the Team, for a meal."

With that, the two went to the dining area where the Team had gathered. It appeared to Polybius that most of the League had left already, and Red Tornado was up in his room. This left the Team mostly alone.

Once there, Polybius found that they had all gathered at the table, and someone had brought them pizzas for dinner.

"Hey, everybody. Polybius has agreed to join us." Megan stated cheerfully.

"Uh, I thought this was supposed to be a team meal." Robin spoke up.

"Oh, uh, sorry." Megan started, but Polybius cut her off.

"You all will have plenty of those." Polybius started, "However, I promised my mother that I would try and bond with you guys, and I intend to keep that promise. You all will have plenty of meals together going forward. However, this will be a good chance for us to sit down and get to know each other. I know you four are already familiar with each other, but none of you have a clue who I am. Wouldn't you all like to know a little bit more about me?"

"Of course." Aqualad agreed, "It would be rude of us to turn you away."

"Dude!" Kid Flash spoke up.

"He's right." Aqualad said, "We will have plenty of meals with just the Team. However, we don't know anything about Polybius. Considering that we will be working with him, it is wise to get to know him."

"Exactly." Polybius said, taking a seat.

Soon, Megan took a seat, and the group began enjoying the pizza that was provided to them by the Flash. Polybius passed as he wasn't hungry.

"So, Polybius." Kid Flash started, "Where are you from?"

"Alaska." Polybius answered, "Northern Alaska."

"Wait." Robin started, "Are you from the part where there is no sunset for part of the year?"

"Yep." Polybius answered.

"That had to be cool." Kid Flash commented, "Having it night 24/7 would make for a lot of good times."

"Whatever, Kid Flirt." Polybius countered.

"Kid Flirt!?" Kid Flash questioned, "It's Kid Flash!"

"Then stop acting like such a little flirt, and I won't call you that." Polybius stated, "Especially when my best friend comes to visit."

"Who's your best friend?" Superboy asked.

"That would be Donna Troy." Polybius answered.

"Donna Troy?" Robin asked, "You mean Wonder Girl."

"Yep." Polybius answered.

"So, how long have you two been together?" Aqualad asked.

"Oh, it's not like that." Polybius countered, "We're friends- best friends."

"Suck in the friendzone, aye?" Kid Flash asked, hoping he could get a shot in at Polybius.

"No." Polybius countered, "Neither of us want a relationship, and both of us are happy with where things are at right now."

"Sounds like a likely excuse." Kid Flash countered, "Listen to me, man, maybe Kid Flirt can help you a little bit."

"You clearly don't understand." Polybius said, "Donna has been through… a lot, to say the least. I'm not going to get into it because both of us have sworn what happened is only going to be kept between us until she wants to open up about it."

"Until she wants to open up about it?" Aqualad asked.

"Yep." Polybius said, "And honestly, I don't think she will."

"If that is the case, then we shall respect that privacy." Aqualad assured him.

"Thank you." Polybius said, "See Kid Flirt, you could learn a thing or two from him about manners."

"I've got manners!" Kid Flash countered.

"I've got a question." Superboy spoke up, "Do you respect us, or see us as kids?"

"Both." Polybius answered.

"Both?" Superboy questioned.

"Yes, both." Polybius answered, "You are all still young and lacking in experience. However, I respect anybody who decides to join the fight that the League fights. And I'm sure that the entire League feels the same way as well."

"Even Superman?" Superboy asked.

"Of course." Polybius answered.

"And when you saved the League, did you save Superman as well?" Superboy asked.

"I did." Polybius answered.

"Interesting." Superboy finished.

"I've got one!" Megan spoke up, "What's your favorite thing to do in your free time?"

"Honestly, I tend to read." Polybius answered.

"Read what?" Megan asked.

"Mostly nonfiction." Polybius answered, "If not that, then I'm listening to music."

"What kinda music do you like?" Kid Flash asked.

"Heavy Metal." Polybius answered.

"Oh, looks like we've got ourselves a metalhead." Robin stated.

"You'd best believe so!" Polybius stated before turning Aqualad, "Do you have any questions for me?"

"I do." Aqualad started, "Tell me, did you want to take this job?"

That question caught Polybius off guard. The young man wasn't sure of how to answer it at first, but quickly decided on a course of action and took it.

"Sort of." Polybius answered.

"Sort of?" Aqualad questioned.

"Well, I was honestly torn." Polybius started to explain, "You see, on the one hand, I had honestly been trying to distance myself from the League because I am fiercely independent. And point-blank, I do miss the life I left behind a little bit because while it is far better here, there was never a dull moment over there. Things were constantly happening, and it kept things interesting. However, here, well, before I got this job, I was working as a night shift janitor, by myself, for a grueling twelve-hour shift, six days a week for minuscule pay."

"How little?" Robin asked.

"Barely enough to get by." Polybius answered, "I couldn't even afford my own vehicle."

"Yikes." Kid Flash said, "Too bad you don't have super-speed like me. Otherwise, you wouldn't need one."

"Well, considering it took me ten minutes to walk to work, I wasn't too worried about it." Polybius countered, "However, then it got shut down, and I honestly didn't have a choice."

"So they forced you to take this job?" Superboy asked.

"Yes and no." Polybius answered.

"Yes or no?" Superboy asked.

"Yes and no." Polybius repeated, "I could have resisted them if I had wanted to. However, I have many deep ties to the League, and honestly, while I had been trying to distance myself from the League, I was beginning to miss those strong relationships I had formed with many of the members. This had led me to actually start trying to pull myself back in. And while I admit, I was very hesitant about taking this job, I'm glad I did."

"Why were you hesitant?" Aqualad asked.

"I was afraid this would bring me in too close." Polybius answered, "However, it's clear that I am at an arm's reach from the League now. That way, I can still maintain my independence while also maintaining those strong bonds I had built with them."

"So that's why you're here?" Superboy asked, anger rising in his tone, "So you be friends with Superman."

"Dude, chill." Polybius said, "Honestly, Superman was more of an afterthought for me. While he and I do hold a strong friendship, there were others who came to mind first."

"Like who?" Superboy asked.

"Well, I'm hoping that by being physically closer to her, that maybe I can see Donna again." Polybius answered, "It's been more than seven months since we last physically saw each other. Otherwise, it's been nothing but facetime and texts between us, and I really want to see her again."

By this point, the group had finished their pizza. This prompted Polybius to desire to return to his quarters and get back to what he was doing so long as they had no further questions for him.

"I am sure that if we have more questions, we will be sure to bring them up as time goes on." Aqualad answered for the group.

"Thank you." Polybius said, "Now if you all need me, I will be in my quarters for a while, and then moving on to finish my work in fully restoring this facility."

"Wait, you mean it's not done?" Kid Flash asked.

"Nope." Polybius answered, "Mostly minor things, but the lion's share is complete."

"Rest well." Aqualad said.

With that, Polybius then went back to his room and right back to his safe. He then grabbed the piece of paper he was looking at earlier and began reading it while he relaxed in his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 3! I hope you enjoyed this, and as always, have a good one!


	4. Chapter 4: Think About Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still reeling from their first meeting with Polybius, the Team begins to talk about their first impressions of Polybius. They argue about whether or not they want him around, and a few of them even propose deliberately fired from his job. However, Polybius overhears this conversation, but isn't too worried about it. However, in an effort to play things safe, he reveals to Superboy that he and the young clone are a lot more alike than he initially realized. This causes Superboy to have a massive shift in behavior and attitude towards the young man.

_Chapter 4_

_Think About Him..._

“So what do you guys think about this Polybius guy?” Kid Flash asked the group as Polybius was hidden away in his room.

“He seems nice.” Miss Martian spoke up.

“Seems kinda lame to me.” Robin countered.

“Lame?” Aqualad questioned.

“Uh, yeah!” Robin stated.

“How?” Aqualad questioned.

“He seems like he doesn’t want to be there.” Robin answered.

“It sounds like he had no other choice.” Miss Martian countered.

“Well, he could at least act like he wants to be there.” Kid Flash stated.

“What I want to know is how is he so deeply tied to the League?” Superboy asked.

“I know he saved more than two-thirds of the League a long time ago.” Robin answered.

“They told us that.” Superboy countered, “What precisely did he do.”

“That’s all super classified.” Robin stated, “I couldn’t hack into the computer pertaining to those files.”

“Files?” Kid Flash asked.

“At least a dozen.” Robin stated, “Whatever happened, it was big.”

“Well, at least it’ll give us something to investigate during our downtime.” Kid Flash stated.

“No.” Aqualad said, “We should respect his privacy.”

“Aw, come on now!” Kid Flash groaned, “Where’s the fun in that?”

“I think your question is: are we trying to drive him out?” Aqualad asked.

“What?” Kid Flash questioned.

“I believe if we invade his privacy, he will leave.” Aqualad started, “However, I do not wish to see him go.”

“Who says we even want him?” Superboy asked, “If you ask me, he needs to be shown the door!”

“Why?” Miss Martian asked.

“Because we don’t want him.” Superboy stated.

“Or is it because you’re jealous that he is closer to the League- closer to Superman than you are?” Aqualad questioned.

Superboy could feel his anger rising at being called out. He was about to do something impulsive, but Miss Martian stepped in.

“How about we vote!” Miss Martian spoke up to break the tension, “Do we want Polybius out?”

Both Kid Flash and Superboy voted for driving him out. Aqualad and Miss Martian meanwhile voted on keeping him in the cave.

“Looks like it’s down to you, Rob.” Kid Flash stated.

Robin looked around at each of his teammates’ faces before sighing.

“I say we give him a chance.” Robin said.

“What!?” Superboy questioned an eerily.

“Come on!” Kid Flash groaned.

“Now, hold on.” Robin said, stopping the two, “Let’s have another vote on this again in a few weeks when we have a better idea who he is. But I don’t think it’s fair to judge him based on one meal. Let’s see what he does, and then vote again!”

“I agree.” Aqualad stated.

Both Kid Flash and Superboy groaned but submitted to the vote as Robin was right. It wasn’t fair to judge Polybius with knowing only so little about him.

Speaking of Polybius, the young man was not hidden away in his room like the Team thought he was. Instead, he had been in the hallway mopping for the entirety of their conversation.

“So that’s what you little assholes think it’ll take to drive me out?” Polybius mumbled to himself as he kept working, “Jokes on you, it’s gonna take a lot more than you can put down to get rid of me.”

A few hours later, Black Canary gathered the Team for their first formal training session. Polybius, meanwhile, was still mopping, but in the same room as them. A minor crisis in the kitchen had warranted Polybius to stop mopping and attend to that.

However, Polybius was also doing this room over again intentionally. The reason was that he wanted to see what the Team was capable of.

However, Polybius partially wished he wasn’t there. Between seeing the last injury on his adoptive mother’s arm did cause a bit of anger to arise in him.

The other reason was when he heard Kid Flirt try to flirt with his mother. That didn’t sit right with Polybius as it thoroughly grossed him out. Not because his mother was ugly, and she most certainly was not, but rather, the fact that that was his mother over any other woman.

It also didn’t help that Polybius did not like romance all that much. He never cared much for it at all, and for some reason, hearing Kid Flash flirt greatly annoyed him.

Regardless, Polybius was happy to see Kid Flash get put in his place. Watching him get knocked on the floor in less than three seconds, humiliated too, was a pleasing sight to Polybius.

“Got what he deserved.” Polybius mumbled to himself, too quiet for the others to hear.

However, things took a different turn when Superboy tried to walk away.

“I’m a living weapon. With my power, the fight is always on my terms.” Superboy stated.

“Prove it.” Canary challenged.

Polybius always enjoyed watching overconfident people get knocked down off their high horse. And while watching Superboy go down almost as fast as Kid Flash did was enjoyable, seeing him storm off prompted Polybius to act.

Letting Superboy go off ahead of him, Polybius waited for Black Canary to resume training before he slipped out and went after Superboy.

Polybius found the young clone in the kitchen/recreational area. He was sitting on one of the green couches with his elbows on his knees and looking at the ground. Polybius could feel the waves of anger coming off of him.

“You good?” Polybius asked, already knowing the answer.

“Leave me alone!” Superboy ordered.

“And why should I do that?” Polybius asked.

“Because I don’t want to talk!” Superboy shouted, “Especially to you!”

“Why me?” Polybius questioned.

“Because nobody wants you here!” Superboy returned.

“That’s wrong.” Polybius corrected, “It was Black Canary who got me this job, and I know she wants me here.”

“Not her!” Superboy spat back, “Us!”

“Oh, yes.” Polybius said, “Your little vote on whether or not you guys were going to drive me out.”

This prompted Superboy to finally look up at him. His eyes were wide with shock, and Polybius felt his anger recede.

“Yes, I heard it all.” Polybius went on, “Truth is, while I was initially hesitant to take this job, I’m glad I did. I enjoy being here, regardless of what you all may or may not think.”

There was a moment of silence as Polybius waited to see if Superboy would say anything. When he didn’t, Polybius continued.

“But I’m not here to talk about me.” Polybius said, “No, I want to get to know you.”

“Me?” Superboy questioned.

“Yes.” Polybius started, “I want to know why you are so angry all the time?”

“I’m not!” Superboy countered, standing up.

“Seems to me that you are.” Polybius said, “And I’m telling you now, this is no way to keep your friends, well, friends.”

“How would you know!?” Superboy questioned.

“Because you and I are more alike than you realize.” Polybius stated.

This statement caught Superboy off guard. He looked at the janitor with confusion, his anger now completely gone. It was now replaced with both confusion and a strong sense of curiosity.

“Come with me.” Polybius said as he turned towards the door, “Let’s talk somewhere where we won’t risk being overheard.”

Polybius then walked out of the room. Superboy, both possessed and driven by his curiosity, followed. It wasn’t long until they reach their destination, which was Polybius’s room.

The young man stopped short of the door to his room and turned back.

“Alright.” Polybius said, “Now, before we go in, I’m going to make a deal with you.”

“A deal?” Superboy questioned.

“Yes.” Polybius said, “By going in here, I’m about to share with you some of my secrets. Secrets that no one else except myself, and soon you, knows.”

“Okay.” Superboy said, “What’s the catch?”

“You’ve got some secrets, don’t you?” Polybius asked, “I think you know what I want.”

“You want some of my secrets?” Superboy asked, “Sorry, I don’t have any.”

“Everyone has secrets.” Polybius said, “It’s one of those things that makes life fun. I know for a fact that there are things about yourself that you haven’t told anyone else yet.”

“And why do you want to know them?” Superboy asked.

“You wouldn’t understand if I told you right now.” Polybius said, “The truth doesn’t make sense without the story.”

“You said we’re more alike than I realize.” Superboy stated, “I’m not sure what there isn’t to understand about that.”

“I’m going to tell you a story with it.” Polybius replied, “Now, let’s not waste time. Who knows how long it’ll be until Batman comes up with some random assignment for you. Do you agree to this or not?”

Superboy hesitated. On the one hand, he was really hesitant about going through with this, as to him, it did scream trap. However, his curiosity and desire to know what Polybius meant was far stronger.

“Fine.” Superboy said, “We’ll trade secrets.”

Polybius smiled. He then opened his door.

“Then, please. “Polybius said, holding the door open, “Come in. Take a seat wherever.”

Superboy walked into the small room. He immediately noticed the rocking chair but decided to sit on the bed instead.

“Water?” Polybius offered as he walked over to his nightstand and pulled out a bottle of water.

“Thanks.” Superboy said, taking it and immediately taking a drink.

After grabbing his own bottle, Polybius then walked over to his safe. Superboy hadn’t initially realized that it was in the room. He questioned how he didn’t notice it due to its considerable size. He studied it as Polybius opened it. However, due to how the safe was sitting, he couldn’t see everything inside.

“Let’s see…” Polybius said as he looked around, “Ah! Here we go!”

Polybius then stood up with a clearly old and worn document of three papers stapled together in his hand. He set it on top of the safe for only a moment to close it. Once the safe was closed, Polybius grabbed both the papers and his water bottle and approached Superboy, who now realized that the documents were laminated.

“So!” Polybius started, “It’s no secret that you are a clone of Superman.”

“Yeah?” Superboy replied, “And?”

“And what is your purpose?” Polybius asked, “Why were you created? What were you pre-programmed to do?”

Superboy looked up at Polybius and met the young man’s gaze.

“Nothing leaves this room.” Polybius promised, “What is said will be between you, me, and these walls around us.”

Superboy then broke eye contact with Polybius and looked over at the closed door for a moment before saying anything.

“I am supposed to be Superman.” Superboy spoke up.

“You are?” Polybius asked.

“Yes.” Superboy stated.

“And who told you this?” Polybius followed up.

“My creators.” Superboy stated.

“The G-Gnomes?” Polybius questioned.

“You know?” Superboy questioned.

“I do.” Polybius said, “How, is not important, but what is important is that I understand how you feel about your programming.”

“What do you know about being born pre-programmed!? Huh?” Superboy demanded, “You keep saying that we’re more alike than I realize, yet you haven’t told me anything, but I’ve told you a bunch of stuff!”

“Easy.” Polybius said, maintaining a calm tone, “I just want to get a feel for your thoughts about your programming before we start talking about mine.”

“Wait.” Superboy said, confusion replacing anger, “Yours?”

“Yes.” Polybius said, “You see, Superboy, there is a lot about this world- or rather universe, you, I nor anyone for that matter, understands.”

“Okay?” Superboy questioned, “Go on.”

“Well, what we don’t understand, we call anomalous.” Polybius stated, “Low and behold, when I was born, I was born to do three things. Kill, fight, die.”

“Born to die?” Superboy questioned.

“Yes.” Polybius said, a hint of sadness in his tone.

“Clearly not.” Superboy stated, “You’re still here.”

“That’s because I lucked out, depending on how you look at it.” Polybius countered.

“Lucked out?” Superboy said.

“I’m holding the only documented proof of my birth in my hand.” Polybius said, referencing the paper, “There’s a lot here, but I’m going to give you the short version of the story.”

Polybius then handed off the experiment log to Superboy so he could begin to read it. The young clone took hold of the papers and glanced at them before looking up at Polybius again.

“What’s the story?” Superboy asked.

“Well, somewhere, there was a war.” Polybius started, “And in order to win that war, the side I fought for decided to play around with clones. My birth number was 1453.”

Superboy then looked back down at the paperwork and saw ‘1453’ at the top of the page before looking back up at Polybius.

“You see, the people who were creating me wanted to keep the fact that they were as low profile as possible.” Polybius started, “Therefore, rather than drag away a couple thousand people from a third world country or some death row inmates, they instead took the DNA from one person who was incredibly well built.”

“Someone like Superman?” Superboy asked.

“No.” Polybius said, ‘They wanted a human host to experiment with.”

“Wait.” Superboy, “So does that mean that you’re-”

“Yes.” Polybius said, cutting off Superboy, “I am a clone.”

Superboy’s eyes went wide with shock and surprise. He couldn’t believe what he was being told. To him, it seemed too good to be true.

“You’re lying!” Superboy countered.

Initially, Polybius didn’t verbally respond to Superboy’s accusation. Instead, the young man took off his jacket and tee-shirt and revealed his chest to the young clone. Again, Superboy’s eyes went wide with shock upon seeing the young man’s chest, as he clearly saw the number ‘1453’ branded on his chest.

“Am I?” Polybius asked.

Superboy didn’t respond as he stared at Polybius’s chest. The branding was clearly old but clearly visible.

“1453.” Polybius stated, “That’s my birth number. The first, and what was supposed to be, the only name I would ever be given. The only thing that would ever define me. Four numbers. That’s it.”

“I- I’m sorry.” Superboy stated, now accepting Polybius’s words as truthful.

“It’s fine.” Polybius said, “Although I was born to die, that didn’t happen, obviously.”

“So why did you luck?” Superboy asked.

“I honestly have no idea.” Polybius said, “But what I do know is that I went through war Hell to get to this point.”

“War and Hell!?” Superboy questioned, shocked to hear that number.

“Yes.” Polybius said, “It was all I ever knew for the longest time.”

Superboy had tons of questions. While he had learned so much, he was so confused. He felt like he knew so much less than he did five minutes ago. Polybius knew this as well but also knew that they didn’t have time for lots of questions, so he decided to keep the conversation moving forward.

“Now, I know you have lots of questions.” Polybius said, “I get it, I would too. However, knowing Batman, who is spontaneous as hell with his stuff, and I’m honestly surprised we haven’t been interrupted yet, I want to get to the point of our discussion before that happens.”

“The point?” Superboy asked.

“Yes.” Polybius started, “You see, while you and I are very similar in origin, here’s the biggest difference between us. I was cloned on a mass line of production.”

“Line of production?” Superboy questioned, not sure what Polybius meant.

“Think of it as a factory.” Polybius said, “However, instead of producing cars, or phones, or other trinkets, it produces clones. And not only that, but there were also twelve of the cloning ‘factories’ set up. Together, they could produce twelve clones every ten seconds.”

“Twelve clones every ten seconds?” Superboy questioned.

“Yep.” Polybius said, “Immagine that for a moment.”

Superboy then took a moment to think about what Polybius had just told him. He tried putting himself in Polybius’s shoes and thought about twelve new hims being produced every ten seconds. It was a terrifying thought to him.

“This brings me back to my point.” Polybius said, “The difference between you and me, I am a mass-produced clone, you are a one of a kind. There is currently only one of you in existence.”

Superboy then looked down at his hands.

“So here’s my next question for you.” Polybius said, “Why are you letting your programming tell you what to do?”

Superboy then looked up at Polybius, confused. He wasn’t sure where the young man was going with his question.

“Let me reword that.” Polybius started, “Why, oh why, are you not embracing the freedom you have?”

“Freedom?” Superboy questioned.

“Listen to me.” Polybius said, “I when I was your age, I was going through a seemingly endless war. But you! You have something I didn’t! And that’s endless choices!”

“Endless choices?” Superboy questioned.

“Yes!” Polybius said, “You have so much that you can do with your life! You can do whatever you want! And the only person who can stop you is you!”

“What are you saying?” Superboy questioned, still unsure of what Polybius was going on about.

“What I’m saying is don’t you ever let yourself feel cornered by your programming.” Polybius said, “Don’t let it control your life! Because let me tell you, when I came off the line, I had my own programming put in me. It took me years to overcome it because I was never given the chance to. But you… You have so much potential with your life, so many opportunities that I wish I had.”

“So you’re saying I should quit the Team?” Superboy asked.

“No!” Polybius said, “Well unless you want to, but I’m not going to sit here and tell you what to and not to do. I want you to make that choice- that choice that I never had. If you want to stay on the Team, fine! If you want to leave and sell art out of the back of some hobo van, fine! If you want to start a business and become a successful billionaire that rivals both LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises, fine! Do what makes YOU happy, not your programming.”

Superboy looked down at himself again and reflected on his programming to become Superman.

“But the need to become Superman…” Superboy started, “It’s so strong.”

“I didn’t say overcoming your programming was going to be easy.” Polybius countered, “I was trapped by mine for years, and to a certain extent, still am. And it will be between you and time for you to overcome your own.”

Superboy then looked up at Polybius again and met his eyes. He was feeling so many emotions all at once. He wasn’t sure how to handle them all, as this had never happened before.

“It’s alright.” Polybius said, “But, I want you to hear this because I’ve been down that road before. And I’m telling you this if you let your programming drive you, especially if it’s something super difficult, it will turn you into a monster. One that does nothing but hate and hurt. And I know you don’t want to hurt your friends, which is why I’m telling you this because you’ve got so much that I didn’t have. And I want you to take full advantage of it. Don’t let your programming tell you what to do. Let you tell you what to do.”

Superboy, for the first time in a long while, smiled.

“Thank you.” Superboy stated.

“It’s no problem.” Polybius said, “And if you ever need me, I’m always here. I’ve been through what you’re going through right now. I understand you better than just about anyone else you’ll ever meet will. You can even think of me like the big brother you’ve never had. Or better yet, a brother from another pod.”

Polybius then offered Superboy a hand to help him up. Superboy looked at it for a moment before eagerly taking it and standing up.

“I’m glad you decided to listen to me.” Polybius said.

“I’m glad I did too.” Superboy admitted.

Suddenly, the intercom system kicked on.

“Team, report to the control room for your next mission.” Batman’s voice came over the speaker.

“Of course.” Polybius said, “Welp, just give me my papers back and then get on down there.”

“Oh, sure thing.” Superboy said, handing the papers off to Polybius before turning to the door.

“And one more thing!” Polybius called out before Superboy left, causing him to turn back and look at Polybius, “What was said stays between you, me, and these walls. Don’t go around dropping my secrets, or else I’ll go around dropping yours.”

“Of course!” Superboy replied, “Your secrets are safe with me!”

With that, Superboy turned and left Polybius alone. Watching the door shut behind Superboy, Polybius then looked down at his paper. As far as he knew, it was the only official documentation left of what had happened up there. Or rather, last official documentation of what had happened to him.

“1453.” Polybius said his own name out loud, “The unluckiest number in the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 4! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, have a good one!


	5. Chapter 5: Polybius's Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the introduction of Artemis to the Team, Polybius immediately recognizes the flaw in her cover story. However, he doesn't push it in front of the Team as he knew it wasn't his place. He stayed silent and when they were sent out on a mission he goes back to work cleaning the air ducts. As he does this, he is interrupted by Red Tornado, and later Superman, where Polybius displays his intelligence by explaining to Superman how it feels to be in Superboy's shoes. However, he stops short of directly pushing Superman one way or the other, leaving the choice up to him.
> 
> Claudia meanwhile, starts to get more hostile with Wojtek in their arguments, and he matches her anger about 82.
> 
> Lastly, Polybius calls Donna. The two talk about how things are going and why Donna isn't on the Team. They also get into the major problem talked about a few chapters ago, with Polybius putting the blame on himself. Donna cuts the argument short, by saying she wasn't going to have it, but was still appreciative of Polybius's continued support. Polybius reassures her that he will always support her no matter what.

_Chapter 5_

_Polybius's Wisdom..._

“I thought Oliver was an only child.” Polybius whispered to his adoptive mother in an effort to not be heard by the Team.

“He is.” Canary agreed, “However, her true identity would make the team nervous.”

“She can’t control where, or rather, who she came from.” Polybius countered.

“She’s young Polybius.” Canary stated, “You know how teens her age are.”

“Ah yes.” Polybius said, “Always afraid of being judged and fitting in with their crowd.”

“That, and they are still finding themselves.” Canary added.

“Does one ever find themselves?” Polybius asked.

“What do you mean?” Canary questioned.

“We change.” Polybius said, “I’m not the same person I was when you all met me. If I knew who I was then, then you could say I lost myself.”

“That’s different.” Canary said, “You changed, but these kids… They’ve never really had a ‘self’ to begin with.”

“Ah.” Polybius replied, now seeing her point, “Now I get what you’re saying.”

Artemis glanced over to where they were. She could see the two of them whispering but couldn’t make out what they were saying. She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about their discussion as Canary knew more about her than she wanted to put forth.

“Who’s that guy?” Artemis asked.

“That’s Polybius.” Aqualad replied, “He is responsible for maintaining the facility.”

“Wait.” Artemis said, “So he’s not on the team?”

“Nope.” Kid Flash said, “And thank goodness too because quite frankly, I don’t really like him all that much.”

“Well, that’s because you came out swinging at him.” Robin countered.

“So?” Kid Flash said, “We’re the superheroes! We deserve a little respect.”

“Well, maybe if you go talk to him, he’d be more friendly with you.” Superboy countered.

“And what happened between you two that made you suddenly like him so much?” Kid Flash asked.

“We had a little talk.” Superboy stated, “Got to know each other like Robin said. Really cleared the air between us.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying that.” Kid Flash stated.

“Suit yourself.” Superboy said.

A few hours later, the Team was sent out on a mission, leaving Polybius alone in Mount Justice. The young man had recently taken up the project of cleaning the air ducts as a recent accident had left them filthy.

While Red Tornado had tried to get Polybius to use the automatic cleaner that had been built in to clean them, Polybius didn’t like it. In the young man’s personal opinion, they weren’t effective, as they tended to leave ugly streak marks throughout the vents.

“Why do you care so much for something no one will see?” Red Tornado asked.

“Because it’s called taking pride in your job.” Polybius said, “That’s the difference between dirtbags and professionals. And since I like to look at myself as a professional, I refuse to let these vents look like crap, even if nobody will ever see them.”

“Your obsession with your work pride confuses me.” Red Tornado admitted.

“Ah, well, I wouldn’t expect you to get it.” Polybius stated, “Being a machine and all, you lack the emotions that I have.”

“And how do they play a role in your work?” Red Tornado asked.

“It’s that feeling of euphoria I get from it.” Polybius said, “Whenever I undertake large projects like these, I work for the feeling I get when I get it done. The satisfaction of it being done gives me a good rush.”

“Like that of drugs?” Red Tornado asked.

“If you want to look at it that way.” Polybius admitted.

Before the two could continue their conversation, they were interrupted by a surprise visitor. Polybius couldn’t see who they were as he was in the vent, working with only his feet hanging out. But could hear their footsteps approaching as they were just barely audible in the ducts.

“Superman?” Red Tornado questioned.

“Superman?” Polybius questioned to himself, “What’s he doing here?”

“Hello Red Tornado.” Superman greeted, “I would like to speak with Polybius.”

“He is up there.” Red Tornado replied, pointing at the vent entrance, “He is ‘taking pride in his work.’”

“Good to know someone does.” Superman said.

Polybius heard the conversation between the two and was already making his way out of the vent.

“Polybius!” Superman called out.

“Moving!” Polybius replied as he dropped out of the vent.

When Polybius hit the ground, the two saw that the young man was covered in filth. All visible skin on his body was caked in a layer of dirt.

“Superman!” Polybius greeted, faking a happy tone while extending a hand, “It’s good to see you again.”

“Good to see you too, Polybius.” Superman replied while awkwardly avoiding taking Polybius’s hand, “I wish this was a catch-up visit.”

“Oh, but it never is.” Polybius said, “What do you want to pick my brain about this time?”

“I’m actually here to talk about Superboy.” Superman stated.

“Why are you asking me about him?” Polybius questioned, “I’m not responsible for him.”

“Yes, but from my understanding, you are… close to him?” Superman stated.

“What do you mean?” Polybius questioned.

“He went from not liking you one day, and then a few hours later, you two are on excellent terms.” Superman stated.

“So?” Polybius asked, “We had a little talk, found some middle ground, and hashed things out.”

“That quickly?” Superman asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “Turns out, we relate to each other more than we both had previously thought.”

The fact that Polybius was a clone was unknown to almost the entire Justice League and the Team. In fact, the only person who knew he was a clone was Superboy. Polybius had chosen to reveal that fact to him, as it was advantageous to do so.

“How so?” Superman asked.

“I’m not going to get into that.” Polybius said, trying to end the conversation so he could get back to work, “What I do with my personal time, in my personal relationships, are an A to B business.”

“Fine.” Superman said, knowing full well he wasn’t going to get Polybius to give up the knowledge he wanted, “But can you at least tell me how he’s doing?”

“He’s doing him.” Polybius answered.

“That doesn’t tell me anything.” Superman stated.

“Well, isn’t that what you tell him?” Polybius asked.

“What?” Superman asked.

“Are you really gonna make me spell this out for you?” Polybius asked.

“Please, do so.” Superman ordered, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Polybius sighed as he realized he had to break it down on the third grade level for Superman. This would take a while.

“That boy needs you.” Polybius stated, “He needs a father figure.”

“I’m not his father.” Superman stated.

“You’re right.” Polybius agreed.

Polybius could clearly see that Superman was taken off guard by Polybius’s response to that statement. It was clear that he didn’t know how to respond to what Polybius had just said, but Red Tornado stepped in.

“I am confused.” Red Tornado stated, “If Superboy is made of Superman’s DNA, then wouldn’t that make him Superman’s son?”

“Well, if you go by that logic, then I guess Black Canary isn’t my mother then, is she?” Polybius asked.

“What does that have anything to do with this?” Superman asked.

“Because I’m going to do with you, exactly what I did with Superboy.” Polybius said, “I’m not going to tell you what to and not to do. I’m only going to give you my perspective on the issue you’re asking about.”

“Okay.” Superman said, clearly unsure of Polybius.

“Now, let’s use my relationship with Black Canary as a sample.” Polybius said, “She and I are in no way related outside of the fact that we are both humans. True?”

“Yes.” Superman said.

“Exactly.” Polybius went on, “She did not give birth to me, yet I still call her ‘Mom.’ Don’t I?”

“You do.” Red Tornado said, “Which has always confused me as to why you do that.”

“Because here’s the hard truth.” Polybius said, “I lived for years without any parental figures in my life. I know what it feels like when you’re unwanted. Which is exactly how he feels right now!”

“He feels unwanted?” Superman asked.

“Yes!” Polybius said, before pointing at Superman, “His programming, and original purpose, is for him to take your place should some dire happen.”

“That will never happen.” Superman assured Polybius.

“I’m not touching that one.” Polybius said, “But the fact is, he wants to know you. He wants to get close to you, even if it’s driven by his programming.”

“And?” Superman asked, “We all have things we want in life that we can’t get.”

“But think about what you are denying him.” Polybius stated, “You aren’t denying him a relationship. You are denying him a father figure he is looking for.”

“And why me?” Superman asked, “Why should I be his father just because we are related when I didn’t ask for him?”

“Who better than you?” Polybius asked, “You can relate to him on a level that no one else can! I mean my gosh, his powers, while weaker, are still yours. Right now, he needs someone to fine-tune him- to mold him into something better than what he is now.”

Superman paused as he thought about what Polybius was saying. He didn’t respond immediately, but Red Tornado was able to keep the conversation going for him.

“But that still doesn’t get past the fact that Superman does not want Superboy.” Red Tornado stated.

“Which goes right back to my original point.” Polybius said, “I call Black Canary’ Mom’ for a reason.”

“Which is?” Red Tornado asked.

“Even though we aren’t related by blood, she took it upon herself to fill that role in my life. She became the parental figure I never had. She took me in and helped guide and mold me into who I am today. Which is why I say blood be damned when talking about family because it doesn’t matter.” Polybius went on, “It’s all about the relationship you build with that person that determines whether or not you become family.”

“So then by that logic, Superman isn’t Superboy’s father.” Red Tornado stated.

“And again, I’m not going to tell him what to or not to do.” Polybius repeated, “All I’m going to do, is give him my perspective, the perspective of an adopted son, to him, and let him make the choice he wants to make.”

“I see.” Red Tornado stated, “In that case, I will leave you two and let Superman think about his decision.”

With that, Red Tornado left the two alone in silence as Superman continued to think about Polybius’s words. They were certainly resonating with him, and it was clear that Polybius hoped he would get more involved with Superboy’s life.

“Look.” Polybius spoke up, bringing the man of steel out of his thoughts, “I lived for years without parents. I didn’t realize that I wanted or needed one until Black Canary came into my life. I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on with a lack of a true parent in my life. However, it’s up to you whether or not you want to bring him into your family.”

“I don’t know.” Superman stated, “I mean, that’s a lot I’m taking on right there.”

“You sure are.” Polybius agreed, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finish cleaning the air ducts before the kids come back.”

As Polybius turned to go to clean the ducts, Superman was quick to stop him.

“Wait!” Superman called out.

“Yes?” Polybius asked, turning back to face him.

“What role are you trying to be in his life?” Superman asked.

“That doesn’t matter.” Polybius said, “What relationship I decide to build with him is what relationship I decide to build with him. And what relationship I build with him shouldn’t influence your decision on what relationship you decide to build with him if you chose to build one at all.”

With that, Polybius then left Superman to think about the wisdom Polybius had just bestowed upon him. Superman had never thought of it like that. While Superboy did deserve a father figure in his life, Superman also acknowledged that it did not have to come from himself.

Superman decided to think about this elsewhere and left Mount Justice, leaving Polybius alone to continue his work.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Claudia shook her head as she read new documents regarding the missing entity’s case.

“I can’t believe this!” Claudia said to herself.

“Can’t believe what?” Wojtek asked as he brought in the usual cappuccinos the two shared every day.

“They finally figured out how it escaped!” Claudia said, holding up the document.

“They did?” Wojtek asked.

“Yes!” Claudia stated, “Can you believe this!?”

“No.” Wojtek stated, “They claim every week they have some new breakthrough on that entity. However, they all end up being bogus.”

“But this is different!” Claudia pressed, “It makes sense!”

“Then tell me!” Wojtek said, “How did it escape?”

“Well, seeing that it defied its usual behavior, they now suspect that the entity, somehow, got that old teleporter working again and used it to teleport itself out of here.”

“Yeah, right!” Wojtek countered, “You’re telling me the best minds in this organization couldn’t get that working, but that thing could? Nah.”

“Then how do you suppose it escaped?” Claudia asked.

“It snuck out.” Wojtek stated.

“How?” Claudia asked, “We had the place surrounded. Somebody would have surely spotted it.”

“Not if it went down a drain.” Wojtek stated, “If you ask me, what happened is it figured out that the only system that is not cycled through this facility is the sewage system. It more than likely flushed itself down a toilet and escaped that way.”

“And what about the other missing entities it took with it?” Claudia asked.

“It probably killed them.” Wojtek stated.

“But it has never played friendly with anybody.” Claudia countered.

“I’ve been saying for years that that thing is more intelligent than it has led us to believe.” Wojtek pressed, “Not only that, but the security cameras were also under another entity’s control at the time. One that has been known to both shut-off, and also play fake footage.”

“That still doesn’t explain the disappearance of all of those entities.” Claudia pointed out.

“This is what happened.” Wojtek started, ignoring what Claudia said, “It killed them because this thing has a tendency to not leave a trace of the bodies after it is done with them. Once it killed them, it then proceeded to flush itself down the drain into the sewers and is currently hiding out in the ocean where that drain pipe leads. And nobody caught it exiting the drainpipe because it didn’t reform itself until after it got way out into the ocean. End of story!”

Claudia shook her head.

“Then it would have resurfaced by now.” Claudia said, “This thing does nothing but kills indiscriminately. It’s endless appetite for death would have brought it to the surface by now, or we would have noticed a severe decrease in the ocean’s wildlife, which, mind you, there has been none.”

“Because it’s freaking smart!” Wojtek stated, “It’s out there! Wait. Waiting for us to let our guard down, and then it’ll strike! Just you wait!”

Claudia rolled her eyes before taking a sip of her cappuccino. She had faith in these documents that this time, they were right about how this entity had escaped.

A few days later, the Team was sent out on yet another mission to Bialya. The young man was surprised at how many missions the Team was getting sent on. He had expected Batman to hold them back in reserve, but that wasn’t the case. He was deploying them left and right, which was certainly exciting for them.

Not so much for Polybius as when they weren’t around, it was often that Red Tornado would take advantage of the time they were away and headed up to the Watchtower. This left Polybius alone for hours, sometimes even days on end.

He didn’t mind it, as it reminded him of his old job where he would work by himself all night long. However, what was getting him here, that wasn’t getting him back at his old job, was that Polybius was simply running out of work to do. He had accomplished all of the major things that needed to be done and had a set schedule of what needed to get done on what day. And with these tasks never taking him all that long to complete, he didn’t have much to do. There was only so much TV he could watch before he got bored of just staring at a screen all day.

And it was this boredom that was driving Polybius insane. He had hit town earlier that day, but sadly, there wasn’t much to do in Happy Harbor. There really wasn’t much of a point going out there as when he did, it risked dragging unwanted attention from unwanted people.

This left Polybius confined to Mount Justice mostly. He had nothing to do but to sit around and twiddle this thumbs.

Deciding to pull out his phone, Polybius began scrolling through his contacts, seeing if anybody would pick up the phone to, at the very least, talk and subdue his boredom for at least five minutes.

“Donna!” Polybius piped up when she came across his screen, “Perfect! Haven’t talked to her in a while!”

Polybius decided to facetime this one because they hadn’t done that in an even longer while. He wanted to see the face of his best friend and know that she was at least okay. Especially after their last conversation that put him a little on edge.

Polybius didn’t have to wait long for Donna to pick up the phone. It was immediately apparent that she was in her room and just chilling as she didn’t have her uniform on, but instead, a tee-shirt was all he could see.

“Hi!” Donna greeted warmly.

“Hello!” Polybius returned, “How are you?”

“I’m good.” Donna answered.

“You sure?” Polybius followed up, “Last time we spoke, you sounded on edge.”

“I’m fine.” Donna said, “Just another nightmare. First one in a while, actually.”

“That’s what I was going to get at next.” Polybius stated, “Do you think that something happened that could have set that off?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Donna replied, “I just think it was a once-off thing.”

“You sure?” Polybius followed up.

“I’m sure.” Donna assured him, “What about you? What are you up to?”

“Ah, well, truthfully, I’m bored as hell!” Polybius grounded, “I have achieved everything I could possibly want to achieve out here and then some. Now, I’ve got nothing to do!”

“Go talk to the Team then!” Donna pressed, “I mean, you live in the same building as them.”

“I have been.” Polybius assured her, “Superboy and I get along quite well. Miss Martian too. However, the problem is that they are out on mission right now, and I am the only person in this entire building!”

“Don’t they have somebody who supervises them?” Donna asked.

“Red Tornado?” Polybius asked, “He usually goes to the Hall of Justice and stays up there. Then returns right before the Team shows up. Black Canary, who is in charge of their training, visits occasionally, but even then, that’s every once in a while. The same with other Leaguers. But for a vast majority of the day, at least when they are out on a mission, I am all alone.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Donna said, “Now don’t get me wrong, I know you like being alone, but I don’t want it to drive you insane!”

“Bah! Don’t worry about that!” Polybius countered, “I’ve got me and all of my different personalities to keep me company.”

Donna chuckled at Polybius’s comment. He always knew how to put a smile on her face, and hearing her laugh warmed Polybius’s soul.

“If you say so.” Donna said.

“I know so.” Polybius went on, “You see, I’ve got Workbius, Darkbius, Hostbius, Wisebius, and many more!”

“Are they all some four-letter word with ‘bius’ on the end?” Donna asked.

“They sure are.” Polybius said, “Well, at least the handful I’m tracking exist.”

“Exist?” Donna questioned, stifling a laugh.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “Like, I didn’t know that Workbius existed until I got here.”

“If you say so.” Donna said.

“I do.” Polybius assured her, “But what I want to know is when are you going to visit me again!? Or do I need to go there?”

Donna’s face changed from a more joyful one to a more serious one. She didn’t respond, which caused Polybius to drop his happy act and become far more serious.

“Donna?” Polybius questioned, “How long?”

“It’s gonna be a long time.” Donna admitted.

“Why!?” Polybius demanded.

“There are a few reasons.” Donna stated, “Firstly Diana doesn’t want me down there, even if you’re there.”

“Kid Flirt?” Polybius asked.

“He was the main reason.” Donna said, “After what happened, she’s afraid that he might tear open old wounds.”

“I said the same thing.” Polybius said, “But I can still come to you.”

“I’m afraid you can’t.” Donna said.

“Why not?” Polybius questioned.

“I’m getting ready to go on a long mission.” Donna said, “To the underworld.”

“Underworld?” Polybius questioned, “But there’s nothing down there.”

“Not that underworld.” Donna said, “I’m going to Tartarus.”

“Hell?” Polybius asked.

“Sort of.” Donna said.

“Why in the hell are you going to Hell?” Polybius asked, “What devil damned you last? Tell me so I can go kick its butt!”

“Polybius, calm down.” Donna ordered, “It’s not like that.”

“Then is this a convoluted way of you telling me you’re thinking about committing suicide!?” Polybius asked, fear now prevalent in his voice, “Tell me where you are, I’m on my way right now!”

“I’m not going to kill myself!” Donna practically shouted over the phone, “I haven’t been that low in a long time.”

“You’re not lying to me, right?” Polybius asked.

“No.” Donna assured him, “I promise you, I won’t do it.”

“I’ve heard that before.” Polybius warned, “And I will drop anything and everything to come to see you if it gets that way.”

“I know.” Donna said, “And if it does, I’ll be sure to contact you.”

“You’d better!” Polybius said, “Because I’m telling you right now if I lose you, I don’t think I’ll come back from it.”

“Don’t be so overdramatic.” Donna brushed it off.

“I’m serious!” Polybius said, “If I lose you, I think it’ll be the end of me. I think my fragile conscience will finally shatter if you go out that way.”

“And I won’t.” Donna said again, “I promise.”

“I swear if you’re lying to me…” Polybius started.

“I’m not!” Donna pressed, “What do I have to do to convince you?”

“Not freaking do it.” Polybius stated.

“Then I won’t.” Donna said, “I’m not going to do it.”

“You’d better.” Polybius repeated.

“Oh my gosh!” Donna groaned.

“Don’t blame me for being worried about this!” Polybius pressed, “I mean, we went through hell last time, and I refuse to let you go down that hole again if I can stop it!”

“Polybius, that was a long time ago.” Donna stated.

“Feels like yesterday to me.” Polybius countered, “I remember numerous late-night calls from you and numerous hours of comforting you the best I could.”

“Yes, I remember too.” Donna said, “And I’m so thankful I had you there with me during that rough time.”

“I’m glad I was too.” Polybius added, “You didn’t deserve what happened to you, and it’s my fault it happened.”

“I’m not getting into this argument with you.” Donna said.

Polybius let out a long sigh before continuing.

“I know I seem overprotective.” Polybius stated, “And I get that. But I’m just afraid that your recent dream is a precursor to something far worse for you.”

“You worry about me too much.” Donna said, “And if this is what you’re afraid of it being, then at least I know I’ll have you to help me through it, just like last time.”

“Just like last time.” Polybius repeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 5. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to tell me what you think, and as always, have a good one!


	6. Chapter 6: Your Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team, in typical teenage fashion, being making Yo Mama jokes, and direct them at Polybius. However, when Polybius reveals how his mother is, it sends shock around the room. Black Canary then jumps in, and takes the Team away from Polybius, and helps them understand the young man. However, Kid Flash, still with a bad taste in his mouth, refuses to believe her and argues with her about Polybius. She cannot get through to him, and drops the matter.
> 
> Polybius meanwhile, goes to his room and begins decorating it, reliving some old memories of his life before he met the League. However, these decorations don't stay up long, as Polybius realized that it revealed way to much about himself, and took them down. He is then approached by Aqualad, Miss Martian and Superboy, warning him that Kid Flash was now going to actively try and get rid of him. Polybius assures them that he isn't worried, and everything will be just fine. Superboy sticks around for a little longer and the two have a little heart to heart before leaving as well.

_Chapter 6_

_Your Mom..._

When Polybius became bored, which was quite often, his go-to activity to resolve this issue was mopping Mount Justice. And since he had completed everything that could possibly need to be achieved, and then some, there was nothing for him to do.

Polybius didn’t really care that nobody appreciated it. He did it more for himself than anyone else. He worked very hard to keep Mount Justice clean and took pride in it.

However, today was different. The Team, who had just gotten back from a mission from Bialya, was now just hanging out in Mount Justice. They were all joking around and laughing at their own jokes as Polybius mopped not that far away from them in the kitchen. And for the most part, they ignored Polybius and didn’t pay attention to him.

However, this changed when Kid Flash, who still didn’t like Polybius all that much, decided to take some somewhat playful shots at him.

“Hey, Polybius!” Kid Flash called out, “Your Mom’s so stupid; when she heard it was chilly outside, she ran and got a bowl!”

This prompted Polybius to look up from his work as the Team laughed.

“Heck, Polybius’s mom is so stupid, she thought Nickelback was a refund.” Robin chimed in.

Again, the Team laughed.

“Polybius’s mom is so stupid, she put two quarters in her ears and thought she was listening to Fitty Cent.” Kid Flash went on.

The Team continued to laugh.

“Polybius’s mom is so stupid; she sold her car for gas money!” Robin joked.

As the Team laughed, Polybius just continued to work. He contemplated whether or not he should tell them that Black Canary was his mother, just to see how they would react to that. However, there was part of him that didn’t want to say that, as he didn’t want to put that out there.

That choice, however, wouldn’t be made by him as he looked up and saw Black Canary walking down the hall towards where they were at. Polybius grew a small and sly grin on his face as the teens kept going on with their ‘Polybius’s mom’ jokes. 

Polybius watched as she walked towards him but stopped just short of walking into the room and listened into the teens.

“Polybius’s mom is so stupid, she tried to climb Mountian Dew!” Kid Flash went on.

Polybius glanced at Kid Flash, and then at his mother in the hall. The two made eye contact, and Polybius’s grin turned into a sly smile. The two didn’t need words to communicate to each other. She only nodded at him, and Polybius knew what to do.

As the Team laughed, Polybius spoke up.

“I never realized you had such disdain for Black Canary.” Polybius stated.

The laughing in the room immediately ceased, and silence took its place. They all stared at Polybius while he continued to mop as if he had said nothing.

“Wait.” Kid Flash was the first to speak up, “You mean Black Canary is your mom?”

“I am.” Black Canary said as she revealed herself by walking into the room.

The Team’s blood ran cold except for Kid Flash, who laughed it off.

“How?” Kid Flash asked, “She’s too young to be your mom!”

“Not by blood.” Black Canary started, “But I adopted him.”

This prompted Kid Flash to shut up and his blood to run cold as he realized just how badly he and the Team had just messed up.

“How about we get some training in.” Black Canary spoke up.

“How about you teach them respect.” Polybius suggested.

“That sounds like a better idea.” Black Canary agreed.

With that, the Team wordlessly moved to the training area, but Black Canary stayed back with Polybius.

“You don’t have to put up with that.” Black Canary said.

“You see, I was thinking about it until I saw you and then knew I had to let you take over.” Polybius explained.

“Still.” Black Canary said, “You should stand up for yourself.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Polybius said, “I’ll probably take things too far.”

“You won’t.” Black Canary assured him, “But you need to teach them to respect you.”

Polybius looked up for his work and made eye contact with his adoptive mother.

“I don’t think you know what that means.” Polybius said, “At least where I come from.”

“What does it mean?” His mother asked.

“Well…” Polybius started but stopped himself as he thought about how to word it, “It’s a… A battle cry.”

“A battle cry?” Canary asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “In situations where the odds were stacked against the attackers, but their objective was needed for the war effort, the leaders would always shout ‘Come on, you sons of bitches! Teach them respect!’ right before they would make any daring moves.”

“Ah, so a morale-boosting statement.” Canary said.

“Definitely one of, if not the, most famous one.” Polybius explained.

“I see.” Canary said, “Well then, I’ll be sure to make sure that they understand that you are big on respect.”

“That I am.” Polybius said, “But it’s an earned thing, not a given.”

“Of course not.” Black Canary agreed, “But it is a two-way street.”

“No, it’s not.” Polybius countered, “It’s a two-man lift. It takes both people to carry respect. If it were a two-way street, then only one person would have to put in work, while the other can just coast by.”

“I like that.” Canary said, referring to Polybius’s analogy.

Polybius then looked back down at his work and resumed it.

“You had better go deal with them.” Polybius said, “I’ll still be here once you’re done.”

As the two parted ways, meanwhile, the Team, who had gathered in the training room, talked amongst themselves in a hushed tone as not to be heard.

“Okay, did anyone know that Black Canary was Polybius’s mother?” Kid Flash asked the group.

Everyone shook their heads.

“But that does make a lot of sense.” Miss Martian spoke up, “I mean, the two always seemed close.”

“That also puts to rest any suspicions of Black Canary cheating on Green Arrow.” Artemis stated.

“Cheating?” Superboy asked.

“Yeah.” Artemis explained, “Honestly, it sorta seemed like Polybius was her side piece considering I’ve seen them hug once or twice.”

“Maybe we should run it by Green Arrow later.” Robin suggested, “Just to make sure.”

“You think she lied to us?” Aqualad asked.

“To cover up the fact that she has a side piece?” Kid Flash asked, “Yeah!”

“I do not think it is a good idea.” Aqualad stated, “We should trust Canary and Polybius. By going to Green Arrow, we risk straining that trust.”

“Or, we expose them and get rid of Polybius!” Kid Flash countered.

“Who said we want to get rid of Polybius?” Superboy asked.

“We did, like a few weeks ago!” Kid Flash said, “In fact, isn’t it time to vote again on whether or not we were going to try and get rid of him?”

“Wait, you guys voted to get rid of Polybius?” Artemis asked.

“We voted to keep him.” Aqualad stated.

“But we said we were gonna vote again!” Kid Flash said, “And now it’s time to vote!”

“Alright.” Aqualad caved, as to avoid an argument, “I vote we keep him.”

“Keep.” Superboy spoke up.

“Keep.” Miss Martian added.

“Get rid.” Kid Flash said.

“Get rid.” Artemis said, taking Superboy, Miss Martian, and Aqualad by surprise.

“Wait, you want to get rid of him?” Kid Miss Martian asked.

“Yeah.” Artemis said.

“Why?” Superboy asked.

“Because I don’t like him.” Artemis lied, “He reminds me of someone I really hated when I was younger, and I can’t stand it.”

Artemis’s real reason for not like Polybius was that she was afraid that he knew that she wasn’t Green Arrow’s niece. And that he knew who her real parents were and was planning on using that against her.

“Well, it looks like the deciding vote is on you, Robin.” Aqualad said, steering the conversation back to the original vote, “You can either tie it, and we’ll have another one in a few weeks, or you can put an end to this voting once and for all.”

“Me again, huh?” Robin questioned, “Well, it looks like we’ll be voting again. Get rid.”

This also took Superboy, Miss Martian, and Aqualad off guard, as they had expected Robin to support them.

“We are tied.” Aqualad said.

“So now, what do we do?” Kid Flash asked.

“We will have another vote in a few weeks.” Aqualad stated.

“I mean until then.” Kid Flash countered.

“We shouldn’t try to drive a wedge between him and ourselves.” Aqualad said.

“Well if you ask me, the three of us should be able to try and get rid of him!” Kid Flash said, “That’s only fair.”

“No it’s not.” Superboy spoke up, his anger taking control, “Polybius is a really good guy. You just have to get to know him!”

“That’s saying we want to get to know him.” Kid Flash countered, “Honestly, I think we would all be happier if we got rid of that guy!”

“Enough.” Aqualad spoke up, getting between the two of them, “Yes, it is only fair that those who voted to get rid be free to try and do so. However, we will have another vote in a few weeks again.”

Superboy backed down, and not long after that, Black Canary, who did not hear the conversation the Team had just had, walked in. She didn’t say anything initially as she approached them. However, when she stopped, this prompted Miss Martian to speak up.

“We’re really sorry about the jokes!” Miss Martian quickly apologized.

“I’m not mad.” Black Canary assured her, “I never was, nor was Polybius.”

“You’re not?” Aqualad asked.

“No.” Canary assured him, “You all are teenagers. Letting you all get under our skin with jokes like that wouldn’t speak well for our characters.”

“We’re all still really sorry about the jokes.” Miss Martian repeated, “We had no idea that you adopted him or that you were his mother.”

“Well, that’s because Polybius didn’t want you guys to know about it.” Black Canary stated.

“Then why did he reveal it to us?” Superboy asked.

“Because Polybius is huge on respect.” Canary explained.

“No he’s not.” Kid Flash countered.

“You’re telling me that you know my son better than I do?” Canary asked.

“No.” Kid Flash countered, finding himself on the back foot, “But he doesn’t really show any to us.”

“You mean to you.” Robin corrected.

“That’s because you haven’t earned it.” Canary explained.

“How?” Kid Flash asked, “I mean, look at what we all are doing! We are fighting evil! How does that alone, not earn us respect.”

“Because Polybius believes that a veil of good actions cannot cover up a bad person.” Canary explained.

“Oh, so he thinks we’re bad people?” Kid Flash asked.

“I didn’t say that.” Black Canary said.

“Sounds like you just did!” Kid Flash said, anger now growing in his voice.

“Let me finish first.” Canary warned, now taking up a stern tone.

Kid Flash quieted down but crossed his arms and waited to hear the explanation.

“For Polybius, his biggest thing is how people treat other people, how they carry themselves, and what they do when others aren’t around.” Canary explained, “One example he would point out is how billionaires can donate millions to charity, but then not even pay their employees a living wage is not a person worthy of respect. But if that same billionaire were to pay their employees a living wage, but not to donate to charity, they are worthy of respect.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Kid Flash countered, “Everyone who has that much money should be donating to charity.”

“But they are taking care of their own first.” Canary explained, “And that’s major to Polybius.”

“So he’s selfish?” Kid Flash asked, “When our job is all about selflessness.”

“To that, Polybius would ask you: how are you to take care of others when you can’t even help yourself?” Canary stated.

“It’s what we do.” Kid Flash countered.

Black Canary sighed as she realized she wasn’t going to get Kid Flash to change his mind on her son. It didn’t bother her at all that he didn’t like Polybius, as she knew that there were people who were bound to not like him.

With her failure to get Kid Flash to understand Polybius’s line of thought, she decided to move onto their training. Polybius, meanwhile, had finished mopping and decided to retire to his quarters for a little bit.

Walking into his room, Polybius looked around at the rather bare walls. He didn’t like that his walls were so devoid of decoration. In his old apartment, he had something hanging on at least every wall. He liked the amount of life it gave to the room, even if it was just one lone poster or picture. However, when he moved here, he had initially been apprehensive too, due to the fear of the Team snooping around in places they weren’t welcomed.

However, Polybius, in his usual attitude, decided that since he didn’t have a window, he needed something in his room. And while he was still apprehensive about going all out, there was one photo he was dying to hang.

Walking over to a stack of boxes he hadn’t unpacked that were sitting in the same corner of the room as the safe was, Polybius quickly found the box he was looking for. From there, he opened it up and found the framed picture he was looking at.

The picture in question was a photo of the people Polybius was closest to during the war. On it was himself, three other clones, and a female. Polybius marveled at the picture for a minute, reminiscing his time with them, before hanging it on the wall next to his bed.

“Tip of the spear.” Polybius whispered to himself as he continued to look at the old photo.

Looking over his shoulder at the boxes in the corner, Polybius decided to go ahead and hang up a few more pictures of his. He would have at least one on every wall so that way, the room didn’t feel dead to him.

The next thing Polybius decided to hang up was an old propaganda poster leftover from the war. On it was a regular clone, standing with his weapon at the low ready. On it was the caption, ‘He fights against tyranny. So should you! Join today.’

The propaganda poster wasn’t one of Polybius’s favorites, but it was all he could get his hands on. And he knew that a beggar couldn’t be a chooser, so he decided to take it because he knew it was all he was going to get.

The next thing Polybius decided to hang on the wall opposite his bed was an old flag. It was a red flag with a golden eagle sitting on top of a plack. Written on the plack was: ‘All under the Imperator.’ On the two sides stood two soldiers. One of the soldiers was a soldier from two thousand years ago, who stood with his sword in, right in front of him, pointed upwards at a forty-five-degree angle. On the other side was a modern soldier who was pointing his firearm up, at a forty-five-degree angle as well, giving the impression that they were defending the eagle.

The last thing Polybius hung up on his only empty wall was a few pictures of the people closest to him now. The first one was of him, and Black Canary taken mere moments after she became his legal guardian and officially adopted him. Polybius remembered that day as being one of the happiest in his life. So happy, in fact, that he cried that day, as the Justice League surprised him with it, and he wasn’t remotely expecting it. On top of that, they had taken steps to make him think that it wasn’t going to happen, to make the surprise even bigger.

The next picture to go up on the wall was one of him and Donna. The image was of the two of them standing next to each other and smiling at the camera. Polybius remembered that day as it was the day the two had finally gotten back from what Polybius called ‘Trials by Hell’s Fire.’ The two were extremely happy and relieved to finally get away from the situation the two had been in for the previous six months of their lives.

The last picture to go up on the wall was a picture of Polybius with the Leaguers he had saved. However, when the photo was taken, sometime after Polybius had saved them, but he was still finding his new role in the world he had been brought to. And at that moment in time, he was working for the League as one of the facility maintainers at the Hall of Justice.

Looking around the room, while it did feel somewhat more lively to Polybius, the young man knew it needed more. Much more. However, he didn’t want to put too much up, as it would attract unwanted attention from the Team. And the last thing Polybius wanted was them trying to snoop around his room and discover things he did not want them to find.

Walking over to his bed, Polybius laid down and began thinking about how far he had come in his life. Everything he had been through and what he had risen above. It never ceased to amaze him how much his life had changed, 

However, Polybius’s solitude would only last an hour before he would get a knock on his door. He looked over at it for a moment, waiting for whoever was on the other side to knock again just so he could confirm that he did hear a knock. And when they did a few seconds later, Polybius promptly got up and answered the door.

When Polybius answered it, he was surprised to see Aqualad, Superboy, and Miss Martian standing on the other side.

“Hello there.” Polybius greeted them when he saw them, “How can I help you three?”

“Please, a word in private.” Aqualad asked.

“Uh…” Polybius glanced over at his shoulder at one of the pictures on his wall, “Just a second.”

Polybius closed the door on them and moved to the picture that was hanging by his bed. The one with him, his fellow clones, and the female. He grabbed it, set it face down on top of the safe, and then put a small box on top of it to keep them from looking at it.

Looking over at his flag, Polybius decided to also take it down and the propaganda poster as well. These two items, he put back in the box he pulled them from and closed it up. He decided to leave the pictures of himself with Black Canary, Donna, and the League up as they knew about his affiliations with them.

Once he finished up hiding away the few things he didn’t want to talk about, he moved back to the door and greeted them again.

“Alright.” Polybius said, “Come on in.”

The three then talked in and closed the door behind them.

“So!” Polybius said as he put himself between them and the safe, “What do you all want to talk about?”

“We came to warn you.” Superboy started.

“About what?” Polybius asked.

“We had a vote.” Aqualad started.

“To get rid of me, yes, I know of that.” Polybius said, “I overheard that conversation you all had a few weeks ago.”

This caught both Aqualad and Miss Martian off guard, as they were unaware that he knew of that conversation. However, Superboy, who knew that Polybius had overheard that conversation, kept speaking for them.

“Well, we had our second vote.” Superboy started.

“And?” Polybius asked.

“We tied.” Aqualad stated, “The three of us voted to keep you, while the other three voted to get rid of you.”

“Okay.” Polybius said, “So I need to keep an eye on the other three. Got it.”

“I’m not certain about Robin, but definitely Artemis.” Miss Martian said.

“However, it’ll be Kid Flash leading the charge on getting rid of you.” Aqualad stated, “He is definitely your biggest opponent right now.”

“Fine.” Polybius said, “I don’t care what he thinks about me, as honestly, I don’t really like him. But Artemis now, let’s talk about her, as that one is more interesting.”

“All she said is that you remind her of someone she knew that she hated.” Superboy explained.

“That’s it?” Polybius asked.

Superboy nodded.

“Okay.” Polybius said, “Anything else?”

“You seem very unconcerned about this development.” Aqualad commented, “Might I ask why?”

“Cause they aren’t going to do anything about it.” Polybius stated.

“You are wrong there.” Aqualad said, “Since we tied, we agreed that it was only fair for them to try and get rid of you, while the three of us would try to keep you.”

“Cool.” Polybius replied, “As I explained to Superboy earlier, there is nothing you guys can do that will get me to leave.”

“Are you so sure?” Aqualad asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “You all don’t realize it, but I really like this job for many reasons, and I’m not going to be easily driven out by a gang of teenagers. That would be disgraceful compared to what I’ve been through up until this point in my life.”

“Disgraceful?” Miss Martian asked.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “I haven’t gone through everything I’ve gone through just to get to this point in my life, and let a group of hormone-driven, impulsive teens drive me out. That would be not only a disgrace to myself but a disgrace to everyone who went through those experiences I had with as well.”

“Good.” Superboy said, “I’d hate to lose you.”

“You won’t.” Polybius assured them, “I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon.”

“We’re all glad to hear that.” Aqualad said.

“So, was that it?” Polybius asked them, “Anything else I should be aware of?”

“No.” Aqualad spoke, “We wanted to warn you ahead of time to be wary of those three.”

“Thank you for that.” Polybius said.

With that, Miss Martian and Aqualad headed to the door, but Superboy stayed behind.

“Can I get another word with you?” Superboy asked, “Just the two of us?”

“Of course!” Polybius said, “I will see you two later.”

The two nodded as they left the two clones alone in the room. Once the door was shut, Polybius shifted his attention back to Superboy.

“Now, I know you may not be the best person to talk about this with, but I can’t really think of anyone else to talk about this with.” Superboy started.

“Does it relate to being a clone?” Polybius asked out of curiosity.

“It does.” Superboy confirmed.

“Well then, have a seat.” Polybius motioned over to his bed as he went and grabbed his chair.

Once the two were seated, Superboy began talking.

“I keep thinking about what you said about you being a mass-produced clone.” Superboy said.

“Okay.” Polybius stated.

“I started to think about the possibility that there may be another one of me out there.” Superboy started, “I mean, if Kampus made me in the first place, then surely they could just make another me. Right?”

“They easily could.” Polybius confirmed, “Although from what I’ve read about their equipment, it’ll take a while before they have another one ready to go.”

“But that’s the thing!” Superboy said, “If I am supposed to be Superman’s replacement, and I fail in being that, does that make me expendable?”

“You’re worried about being replaced?” Polybius asked.

“Yeah.” Superboy said, “I’ve been thinking about it every night when I try to sleep, and it keeps me awake to think that right now, Kampus is making another me right now!”

“And they may be.” Polybius said, “I don’t know what the League has done as far as making sure they don’t make another one of you, but you shouldn’t worry about being expendable.”

“Why?” Superboy asked

“Because you no longer serve your intended purpose.” Polybius said, “As soon as you chose to break out of Kampus, you gave yourself the power to choose your own destiny. If they make another one of you, they will be sure to not give it so much free will as they granted you. Therefore, you are not expendable.”

“But if I die, could the League or Team just get another one of me?” Superboy asked.

“As far as looks and stats, yes.” Polybius said, “However, think back to when you were in a pod, and having images implanted into your brain. Trust me, it’s one thing to have experiences planted in, but it’s another to actually experience them. What they would get is a reset version of you, and that’s not optimal for them as every experience you go through makes you more valuable as both a person and as an asset.”

“An asset?” Superboy asked.

“Don’t get too hung up over that word.” Polybius said, “We’re all assets. However, the biggest difference between my cloning and yours is that they only made one of you, which took them a long time to make. I was produced on a line. Which by that definition, I am more expendable than you because I can easily be replaced faster than Kid Flirt can snap his fingers.”

“So I’m not expendable?” Superboy asked.

“I would say no.” Polybius assured him.

Superboy sat in silence for a moment as he thought about what Polybius was saying.

“I don’t know.” Superboy started, “I mean, I still feel like I could be replaced easily.”

“How long were you in that pod?” Polybius asked.

“Sixteen weeks.” Superboy answered.

“So it would take seventeen weeks to make a new one of you.” Polybius answered, “There’s your answer.”

“Seventeen?” Superboy asked.

“Well, you’ve also gotta factor in them uploading all of the knowledge you learned outside of the pod, and even if they can retain that. If not, then they have to make it up as best they can and convince the clone of you that he went through it.”

“I get it.” Superboy said.

“So does that shoot down that question?” Polybius asked.

“I suppose for now.” Superboy stated, “Thank you, Polybius.”

“No problem.” Polybius said, “But just so you know, in my book, you aren’t expendable.”

“Good to hear.” Superboy said, “At least someone who understands me, cares about me.”

“Make sure you talk with your friends.” Polybius said, “Be careful and picky about what you choose to talk about, but you’ll find that they may be more helpful to you than myself.”

“I have been.” Superboy said, “Miss Martian and I are finally a thing.”

“That’s wonderful!” Polybius said, extending a hand.

Superboy took Polybius’s hand, and the two shook.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Polybius assured him.

“Thank you.” Superboy said, “We’ve got our first date later tonight.”

“Awesome!” Polybius assured him, “Well, I had better not hold you up then.”

“Yeah, I suppose I had better get going.” Superboy agreed.

With that, the two stood up, and Superboy left. Once the door shut, Polybius’s mind immediately went to all of the things he had just taken off the walls and sighed. He realized that if anybody wanted to talk to him one on one, his room was the best place for it. And if he didn’t want them asking questions about it, it was better he left it all off the walls.

Walking back over the picture he left face down on top of the safe, Polybius took the box off the top of it and looked at it again.

“Someday.” Polybius said before he put the picture back in the box, he had pulled it out of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 6! I hope you enjoyed this, don't be afraid to let me know wat you think about this, and as always, have a good one!


	7. Chapter 7: Problem One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disaster struck Mount Justice in a valiant attack by Red Tornado's 'siblings.' Polybius manages to hide from them, and gives Artemis the courage to stand up to them, changing her opinion about him in the process. However, when Red Tornado returns and turns on the Team, Polybius is far enough away, where he isn't injured, and finally manages to get through to people on the outside begging for help. Black Canary, being the first person he called was on the line long enough to hear something terrible happen. This prompts her to get ahold of the rest of the League and they make their way towards the cave to discover the horrible truth of what had happened not only to the Team, but to Polybius as well.

_Chapter 7_

_Problem One..._

Artemis was in full-blown panic mode. She was freaking out as the Team had just been captured by two Red Tornado sibling robots, and she had no hope of beating them. She didn’t know what to do or where to turn to as her mind raced for possible solutions as she crawled through the vents.

However, because she was so focused on finding a solution, she didn’t realize that there was a drop, and she fell straight through it and landed in the trophy room. It took her a moment to recover from the fall before she picked herself up.

“This is hopeless.” Artemis told herself, “My only hope is that the League finds me before the Reds do.”

“So that’s it?” A male voice spoke up from behind her.

Artemis let out a shriek of terror as she turned and faced the man. However, a wave of relief washed over her when she saw that it was Polybius.

“Polybius!” Artemis greeted happily, but also confused, “How did you escape the Reds!?”

“Not important.” Polybius said as he approached her, “But what is, is what are you going to do?”

“Me!?” Artemis asked, “What do you mean me!?”

“I’m asking you, what’s your plan?” Polybius asked.

“What plan?” Artemis asked, “There’s nothing I can do!”

“So nothing.” Polybius said, “That’s your plan?”

“Do you have a better idea!?” Artemis asked, “Because I’m all ears.”

“Hey, I’m the innocent civilian caught in the line of fire here.” Polybius explained, “It’s not my job to save the world, just to clean up the mess you make saving it.”

“That’s not helping!” Artemis shouted, “Ugh! Out of everyone I could get trapped with, of course, it had to be you!”

“What’s wrong with me?” Polybius asked.

“You remind me of my Dad!” Artemis said.

“Is it that?” Polybius asked, “Or is it because you’re afraid that I know something that you don’t want getting out?”

Artemis’s blood ran cold as those words left Polybius’s mouth. She had always suspected that he knew more than he let on, but now, he just confirmed that he did.

“You… You can’t tell!” Artemis quickly defended herself.

“If we stand here and argue, there won’t be anyone to tell.” Polybius pointed out.

Artemis looked away from the young man and held back tears. Her situation was so hopeless, and she felt like she had no good options.

“So what are you going to do?” Polybius asked.

“Stop asking me that!” Artemis shouted, “I already told you, there is nothing I can do!”

“I don’t think you realize what’s at stake here.” Polybius said.

“Yes I do!” Artemis said, “The lives of my friends!”

“And so much more.” Polybius added.

“How?” Artemis asked.

“With their deaths, it’s likely the League won’t want to pursue young heroes. Which would put you out of the game.” Polybius started, “But what would be worse is it could lead to extremism within the League.”

“Extremism?” Artemis asked.

“With the deaths of so many young heroes, it may cause the League to become harsher, and cross lines they didn’t think they were going to cross.” Polybius started, “And when they find the person responsible for these attacks, the League may execute them.”

“Woah, calm down, Polybius.” Artemis said, “The League doesn’t kill.”

“Right now.” Polybius countered, “But you should believe no one incapable of anything, but instead, everyone, capable of everything.”

“So you’re saying that if I do nothing, the world is going to hell!?” Artemis asked, concern high in her voice.

“Maybe.” Polybius said, “Or you can save the Team, earn their trust and respect, and change the course of history.”

“Change history?” Artemis questioned, “Why can’t you help me do something!?”

“Because this isn’t my fight.” Polybius explained, “It’s yours.”

“They’re your friends as well!” Artemis pointed out, “And I’m pretty sure Black Canary won’t be happy if you just sat by and let them die!”

“And what am I to do?” Polybius asked, “I’m just a bystander. The innocent civilian in harm’s way.”

“Can’t you think of something to do!?” Artemis demanded.

Polybius didn’t answer her question as he walked towards the wall of souvenirs. He grabbed the arrow that was on a stand and looked at it.

“I’ve been in this position before.” Polybius started, catching Artemis off guard, “As you know, I saved the League a long while ago. But I had a choice that day. I also could have walked away and left them to their fates. But I chose to do something, even though, at the time, it seemed hopeless and stupid. Because of my actions, and mine alone, the League still exists. And it’ll be through your actions on this day that will decide the next thousand years.”

Polybius then turned and faced Artemis.

“So let me ask you again. What are you going to do?” Polybius questioned as he extended the arrow.

Artemis looked at Polybius and then down at the arrow. She was unaware that Polybius had saved the League, but it did make sense to her. It would explain how he got so close to them and why Black Canary would adopt him.

Artemis approached Polybius and grabbed hold of the arrow.

“I’ve gotta try.” Artemis said, “Even if it doesn’t work.”

“Teach them respect.” Polybius encouraged.

Artemis nodded as Polybius let go of the arrow.

“I will.” Artemis assured him.

While Artemis’s plan was successful and would save the Team, it would ultimately lead to Red Tornado suddenly changing sides and turning on the Team. Polybius watched all of this unfold from a safe distance. He knew that he didn’t stand much of a chance against the powerhouses. However, seeing all of the Team go down, this prompted him to finally reach out to his mother, who was on a date with Green Arrow in Gotham. He would have done it a lot earlier if the cellular signal hadn’t been cut off.

“Polybius?” Black Canary questioned, looking down at her phone.

“What does he want?” Green Arrow asked, “He knows you’re on a date, right?”

As Polybius listened to the phone ring, Red Tornado spotted him.

“Kill him.” Red Tornado ordered.

“Hello?” Black Canary asked as Polybius realized how much danger he was in.

“MOM, I’VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE!!!” Polybius shouted over the phone as he got up and quickly began to run, which was loud enough for Green Arrow to hear as well.

Despite moving as fast as he could, the fire robot was faster and launched a fireball at him. This subsequently caused an explosion, knocking Polybius off his feet and his phone out of his hand. This also caused stratnel from the blast to fly everywhere.

“OOF!” Polybius let out as he felt the explosion hit him.

“Polybius!” Canary panicked over the phone.

The only response the adoptive mother would get would be the static from the other end of the phone as the robots reblocked all signals.

“What’s going on?” Green Arrow asked, concern high in his voice.

“Polybius! Answer me!” Canary demanded.

Static.

The two sat in silence for a moment, hoping that Polybius would respond. However, none would ever come through.

“Come on!” Canary said, standing up, “We’ve gotta go!”

“Right.” Green Arrow agreed.

“I’ll stay on the line with Polybius in case anything comes through.” Canary said, “You call everyone else and tell them that something’s happened to Polybius.”

The two rushed out of the restaurant as fast as they could. The first person Green Arrow called was Superman.

“Hello?” Superman asked over the phone.

“Clark!” Green Arrow said, “Something’s happened to Polybius.”

“What!?” Superman asked, concern quickly rising in his voice, “Where is he?”

“We don’t know.” Green Arrow explained, “We’re headed to the cave now because that’s where he most likely is.”

“I’m alerting the others now.” Superman replied, “I will see you both at the cave.”

The two wasted no time getting out of the restaurant. Once they got out, they ducked into a nearby mall, changed into their costumes, and took off on foot to the nearest Zeta Tube entrance.

“Damnit!” Black Canary cursed.

“What’s wrong?” Green Arrow asked.

“The Zeta Tubes at the cave are offline.” Canary replied.

“Hold on.” Green Arrow said.

Green Arrow was quick to call up Batman.

“Batman!” Green Arrow said, “We need a pick-up. Zeta Tubes at the cave are offline.”

“Meet me at the park.” Batman ordered, “I’ll pick you up there.”

“We’re on our way.” Green Arrow replied.

It didn’t take the two long to get to the park. However, they got their way ahead of Batman and found themselves waiting. This was torture to the two, especially Black Canary, who was visibly anxious. She was trembling and on the verge of tears.

“He’s going to be alright.” Green Arrow assured her as he took her hand, “He’s been through much worse.”

“Yeah.” Canary agreed, not fully paying attention to him, “He’ll be alright.”

“Hey.” Green Arrow said, now gaining more of her attention, “Remember where you found Polybius? Remember how bad that situation was for him?”

“Yes.” Canary replied, her quiver betraying her attempt at confidence.

Green Arrow couldn’t help but notice how distraught she was. Normally, she was a very clear-headed individual and knew how to deal with stress. However, this situation seemed to the one that was breaking her.

“He’ll be alright.” Green Arrow assured her, in a softer and calmer tone.

Canary didn’t respond as Batman finally showed up in his ship. The two wasted no time climbing on board and soon began heading to Mount Justice. The trip seemed like an eternity to Black Canary as no matter what she did, she couldn’t stop worrying about her adopted son.

However, they weren’t the only ones worrying, as the entire League was now alerted to the situation, and all available members we’re all heading to Mount Justice with the exception of one Leaguer and her sidekick.

Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl had stopped to rest and catch their breaths as ever since they had gotten into Tartarus, it had been nearly non-stop fighting. However, their mission did not take as nearly as long as either of them had anticipated. They were able to complete it much faster and were getting ready to head back to the United States.

However, as they did so, Wonder Woman got the alert.

“Oh no.” Wonder Woman said once she got the alert.

“What?” Wonder Girl asked.

“Something happened to Polybius.” Wonder Woman answered.

“What!?” Wonder Girl asked in a panicked tone, “What’s going on!?”

“Nobody knows.” Wonder Woman answered, “All they know is Zeta Tubes to Mount Justice have gone offline, and Polybius’s last words were him saying that he had a problem.”

“We’ve gotta go!” Wonder Girl said, standing up.

“Agreed.” Wonder Woman quickly said.

With that, the two took off towards Mount Justice, but it would be hours before they would arrive.

However, the first person to arrive at Mount Justice was Superman. He saw that someone had left the hangar door open.

“I’m at Mount Justice.” Superman reported in, “Someone’s left the hangar door open. Moving in to investigate.”

“Be careful.” Batman warned over the radio, “If whatever took out Polybius is still there, then it has likely also taken out the Team. Approach with caution.”

“Will do.” Superman replied as he approached the door.

Superman flew into the hanger and scanned the room. The first thing he saw was the Team lying on the ground, unconscious.

“I’ve found the team.” Superman reported, “They’re all unconscious.”

“And hostiles?” Green Arrow asked.

“Not that I can see.” Superman replied, “I also don’t see Polybius.”

Superman landed by the Team. As he touched the ground, he was joined by Flash, who came running into the room.

“What happened here?” Flash asked as he joined Superman in tending to the Team.

“I don’t know.” Superman answered.

Looking around the room again, Superman saw some flames still burning bright that were blocking off a hallway to the rooms.

“But we’ve got to deal with that.” Superman said as he moved to deal with it.

As he did, Batman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow landed outside and ran into.

“I’ve got it.” Aquaman said as he and Martian Manhunter came out of the water.

As the flames were extinguished, Batman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow entered the cave right as the Team began to wake up.

“Artemis.” Superman said, “Artemis, can you hear me?”

As Artemis opened her eyes, everyone grouped around the Team.

“She’s alright.” Superman called out.

“That accounts for everyone except for-” Martian Manhunter started but was cut off by Black Canary.

“Polybius.” Black Canary finished.

“Artemis.” Superman started, “What happened?”

“What happened?” Artemis asked, “The Reds happened! Tornado and his- wait, where are they?”

“Gone.” Robin answered, “All three of them. Gone.”

“How do you know this?” Batman asked.

“I woke up right as they were leaving.” Robin explained, “However, I was too weak to try and stop them.”

“That still leaves Polybius unaccounted for.” Green Arrow said.

“He was in the trophy room last I saw him.” Artemis spoke up, “But that was before Red Tornado turned on us.”

“Do you know what he was planning on doing?” Black Canary asked.

“I know he was hiding away from the other two.” Artemis said, “I don’t if they went after him after knocking us out or what he did.”

“They did go after him.” Batman explained, “He managed to get through to Black Canary before communication was cut off, alerting her that something had happened here, but he wasn’t able to say what as an explosion cut him off.”

“Do any of you have any idea what happened to him?” Superman asked.

The Team shook their heads.

“Then we need to spread out and search the facility.” Batman ordered, “Find him.”

The first place everyone looked was where the flames had been burning before Aquaman put them out. Once there, they saw a pool of blood at the far end of the hall.

“Over here!” Superman, who was the first to see it, called out.

The pool of blood was a decent size and also looked like someone had been dragged through it as blood streaks created a path down the hallway and away from the hangar door.

Following the trail, they found it to lead directly to Polybius’s room. The door had been shut, but there was blood on the control panel used to open it.

“The trail ends here.” Batman said as he moved to open the door.

Upon opening the door, the group was greeted with a grizzly sight.

Polybius was in his room, lying on the floor by one of the boxes. He had managed to drag himself from the hall to his room and performed self-aid as he was wearing a turner kit on his right leg. However, his right leg from the knee to right above his ankle was torn up. Chunks of flesh were hanging freely, but the hemorrhaging had stopped thanks to the turner kit. However, it seemed that shortly after applying the turner kit that saved his life, he passed out.

“Oh shit!” Green Arrow said, being the first to see Polybius.

Superman and Batman rushed in. Black Canary and the Team tried to do so as well but were stopped by Green Arrow.

“You guys aren’t going to want to see this.” Green Arrow told them.

The Team stopped, but Black Canary tried to push past him.

“Get out of my way!” Black Canary demanded as she tried to move past him, but he stopped her.

“Trust me, Dinah.” Green Arrow pressed, “You really don’t want to see this.”

“He’s my son!” Black Canary shouted, “I don’t care!”

Pushing past Green Arrow, Black Canary rushed into the room and saw Polybius. She gasped as she rushed to Polybius’s side.

“Polybius!” Black Canary called out.

Polybius didn’t respond and was barely breathing.

“We need to get him to a hospital.” Batman stated, “Superman, go!”

“Right!” Superman agreed as he picked up Polybius.

As Superman picked up Polybius, the Team was moved out of the way so they wouldn’t see Polybius.

“What hospital are you taking him to?” Canary asked as Superman stood up, “The one in Happy Harbor doesn’t have the equipment to deal with something like this.”

“The one in Gotham City does.” Batman spoke up, “Take him there as it’s the closest.”

“Will do.” Superman said.

With that, Superman took off. Martian Manhunter worked swiftly to get the Zeta Tubes back online. As he worked, Black Canary impatiently waited for him to get done. She kept herself under control but was visibly shaken and distraught, and the Team noticed it.

“How bad do you think Polybius is?” Kid Flash asked the group.

“Bad.” Aqualad answered, “If they did not want us to see him, then it must have been-”

“Gruesome.” Robin cut off Aqualad.

“Yes.” Aqualad agreed.

Miss Martian looked over at Black Canary. She could sense that the adoptive mother was on the verge of tears but fighting hard to not cry in front of everyone. Miss Martian wished there was a way she could help her but knew there was nothing she could do.

“I hope Black Canary will be alright as well.” Miss Martian spoke up.

“She will be.” Aqualad assured her.

The Team then watched as Green Arrow and Batman approached her.

“You need to change into civilians.” Batman said, “We can’t risk compromising Polybius’s safety while he’s in the hospital. If you show up in uniform, you will only put him at a greater risk.”

“R- Right.” Black Canary stumbled, surprising the Team.

Green Arrow walked with her and walked to Polybius’s room. Green Arrow waited outside as Canary changed into civilian clothing. However, as she did, her eyes caught the pictures hanging on Polybius’s wall. Specifically, the one from the day she adopted him. She remembered how happy that day was and seeing Polybius cry for the first and only time. It gave her a moment of relief from the misery she was in now.

However, it was only a brief moment as her mind quickly returned to the situation at hand, and she promptly finished changing and rushed back to the Zeta Tubes.

It wasn’t long after Green Arrow changed that Martian Manhunter finished restoring the Zeta Tubes, and the two were able to go Gotham.

“I’ll be there soon.” Batman assured them.

“We’ll see you there.” Green Arrow said as they were teleported away.

Batman then shifted his attention to the Team.

“How bad is it?” Superboy spoke up for the group.

“It’s bad.” Batman said, “Polybius has lost a lot of blood and has sustained severe damage to his lower right leg.”

“Then how did he get to his room if he couldn’t walk?” Kid Flash asked.

“He crawled.” Batman answered, “He managed to stay awake long enough to crawl all the way from the explosion to his room, where he was able to apply a turner kit to stop the bleeding. However, it wasn’t long after that, that he passed out.”

“Will he be alright?” Miss Martian asked for the group.

“We don’t know.” Batman answered, “The damage to his leg is severe, but the fact that he was able to apply a turner kit on himself has likely saved his life.”

The Team let out a sigh of relief.

“Now we just need to get payback on those Reds!” Superboy declared.

“You will do no such thing.” Batman ordered.

“What!?” The Team questioned.

“Red Tornado is a League member, making him a League priority.” Batman explained.

“You expect us to sit by and let you guys deal with it after what just happened!?” Artemis demanded, “Not gonna happen!”

“Please, calm down.” Martian Manhunter said, jumping in the conversation, “I know you all are upset about the androids and Polybius, but Batman is right. We will handle this.”

The Team grumbled but didn’t protest as they knew they weren’t going to win.

Roughly an hour later, Polybius was on life support. Black Canary, Green Arrow, and Superman, who was now in his civilian disguise, were all waiting outside. Inside, doctors had Polybius on a respirator and were performing emergency surgery on the damaged area of his leg in an attempt to save the limb.

Now that things had finally calmed down, and Polybius was in the best care he could possibly be in, Dinah relaxed a little. However, her thoughts did not stop as she found herself spiraling downwards with them. She knew she was making the situation worse in her head than it actually was, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t stop it.

Oliver and Clark both assured her that Polybius would be alright, but it didn’t help. The fact that Polybius was on life support was what was really getting her.

“He’s going to be alright, Dinah.” Oliver assured her again, “Polybius is a tough guy. He’ll pull through.”

She didn’t respond as she wouldn’t be given the chance too. As soon as he finished those words, Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl, both dressed in civilian clothing, entered the waiting room.

“Diana.” Clark greeted, “I thought you two were out on a long mission?”

“It ended up not taking us as long as we thought it was going to.” Diana answered, “How is he?”

“It’s bad.” Superman said.

“How bad?” Donna quickly jumped in.

“He’s on life support in the ICU.” Dinah answered.

“Is he going to make it!?” Donna demanded.

“He managed to apply a turner kit on himself.” Oliver explained, “However, he’s lost a lot of blood, and the damage to his leg is severe.”

“But is he going to live?” Donna asked.

“We… We don’t know.” Clark answered, “All we can do now is wait and hope for the best.”

With that, both Diana and Donna joined the group in waiting to hear the results about Polybius. They were all on edge and prayed that Polybius would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 7! I hope you enjoyed this, don't be afraid to let me know wat you think about this, and as always, have a good one!


	8. Chapter 8: Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alive, Polybius's leg is in terrible shape, and he needs extensive surgery to save it. Outside wafting for him are Clark Kent, Dinah Lance, Oliver Queen, Diana Prince and Donna Troy. Oliver begins talking hypothetically until Bruce Wayne walks in. He doesn't stay long, gathering the information he needs and leaves. After this, the others begin to discuss plans on how to best take care of Polybius.
> 
> Superboy, the most upset over the apparent loss of Polybius, goes after Kid Flash out of anger. However, Aqualad jumped in and cut it off as fast as he could. Superboy then storms off, but is later comforted by Miss Martian.
> 
> Later on, after Diana, Clark and Oliver leave, Dinah and Donna are informed that Polybius woke up mid surgery and freaked out. They are brought in to calm him, and he reveals that the reason he freaked out was because he thought he was getting a prosthetic limb put on. However, they assure him that no such thing is going to happen to him, and he allows the surgery to continue.
> 
> Lastly, Claudia and Wojtek's arguments are finally at a breaking point and Claudia does something desperate and finally silences Doctor Wojtek once and for all.

_Chapter 8_

_Recovery..._

The Team all sat in silence, their collective thoughts with Polybius. They were all eagerly and patiently awaiting an update on his status. They wished for nothing more than to see him alive and well.

Every second seemed like an hour to the Team as they waited. They couldn’t think about anything else except Polybius.

However, Superboy was by far the most distraught and upset about it out of all of them. Despite knowing Polybius for only a short time, the young man had really made an impact on Superboy. He was someone he could relate to on a different level. The two were clones, and Polybius understood a lot of the issues Superboy had about his origin. And the prospect of losing Polybius was terrifying.

And this made him furious. He wanted nothing more than to tear Red Tornado’s metal head from his shoulders, rip the one that controlled water to pieces, and annihilate the one that controlled fire.

He would avenge Polybius.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, Oliver knew that the silence was killing all of them, especially Dinah and Donna. He decided that the best thing to do for the two of them, as well as everyone else, was to get their minds off the present and begin talking about what they were going to do for Polybius.

“So hypothetically speaking, let’s say he can’t walk.” Oliver started, “What then?”

“He’ll walk.” Donna countered immediately.

“How are you so sure?” Superman, who was now disguised as Clark Kent, asked.

“He’ll walk.” Donna said again.

“I’m not saying that we won’t.” Oliver corrected himself, “I’m saying that if he can’t, what then?”

“He’ll walk!” Donna pressed.

“I know you’re worried about him.” Diana began, “But we have to face the fact that he may never walk again.”

“He will walk.” Donna stated, “I know he will. Even if they say he never will again, he will.”

“I appreciate your optimism.” Dinah spoke up, “But considering how bad his leg was, I’m afraid that Oliver may be right. Polybius may never walk again.”

“I promise you, he will.” Donna said, “It doesn’t matter if they give him a prosthetic or have physical therapy, he will walk.”

“Alright then.” Oliver started, “So let’s say he can walk but will need lots of physical therapy. What then?”

“He’ll probably need a caretaker.” Clark pointed out.

‘He’ll hate that.” Both Donna and Dinah said in unison.

“This conversation is about what he needs.” The voice of Batman, dressed in civilian disguise Bruce Wayne, said as he approached them, “Not what he wants.”

“Bruce!” Clark said, standing up to greet him.

“Any word?” Bruce asked.

“None.” Clark replied, “All we know is that he’s in the ICU and on life support.”

“Do we have any idea on when, or if, he’ll get out?” Bruce asked.

“No.” Clark answered.

“Keep me informed.” Bruce said as he turned to leave.

“You’re not staying?” Diana asked.

“No.” Bruce answered, “In the wake of what just happened, there is much that needs to be done.”

As Bruce turned to leave, however, a doctor walked in.

“Excuse me?” The doctor said, “Are you all here for a ‘Polybius?’”

“Yes!” Dinah answered as she stood up, “How is he?”

“Well, we need someone to make a decision for him.” The doctor said.

“Oh no.” Dinah said.

“It’s not that bad.” The doctor assured her, “And what is your relation to him?”

“I’m his mother.” Dinah answered.

“You look awfully young to be his mother.” The doctor countered.

“Adoptive mother.” Dinah corrected, “I’m his legal guardian. Whatever decision that needs to be made for him can go through me.”

“Alright.” The doctor said, believing her, “So, in regards to his leg, we have two options. The first is since the injuries are mostly below the knee, we can amputate the limb and give him a prosthetic. If we go this route, then he will be out of here a lot sooner.”

“Okay.” Dinah replied.

“The second option is we attempt to save the limb.” The doctor started, “However, we aren’t guaranteed too, as the amount of damage done to it is extensive, but we can try.”

“Will he be able to walk again?” Dinah asked.

“It’s too early to say.” The doctor replied, “And again, that’s saying we can even save the limb. And on top of that, he will have at least a year, likely far longer of physical therapy.”

“You’ve gotta try!” Donna spoke up, shifting the group’s attention to her.

“This is her decision.” The doctor said, pointing at Dinah, “So, what is it?”

“You’ve gotta try and save the limb.” Dinah agreed, “I know Polybius well enough to know he would much rather have the limb than a prosthetic.”

“We’ll do our best.” The doctor assured her.

The doctor turned to leave but was stopped by Dinah.

“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Black Canary asked, “Is he going to live?”

“We’ve stabilized him.” The doctor answered, “However, that’s all I can tell you right now.”

With that, the doctor left to go report Dinah’s decision.

“Sounds like he’s going to pull through.” Bruce said.

“Thank God.” Oliver said as Dinah sat down.

Meanwhile, back in Mount Justice, the Team was still patiently waiting when Robin’s phone went off. It was Batman. The rest of the Team locked eyes on him as he spoke to the caped crusader. However, they couldn’t hear what Batman was saying.

“I just got an update on Polybius.” Batman told them, “He’ll likely survive, but is going to be out for a long while.”

“How long?” Robin asked.

“It’s unknown.” Batman said, “As of right now, that’s all the updates I have for you.”

With that, Batman hung up, and Robin put down his phone.

“What’s the word?” Aqualad asked.

“Polybius is going to live!” Robin declared.

There was a collective sigh of relief upon hearing the news.

“Anything else?” Superboy asked.

“Only that it’s going to be a while before Polybius comes back.” Robin added, “That’s it.”

Superboy then suddenly turned on Kid Flash.

“You happy now!?” Superboy asked, taking everyone off guard.

“Woah, calm down!” Kid Flash said.

“No!” Superboy said, “You wanted him gone! And now that he is, I’m sure you’re thrilled about it!”

“Not like this!” Kid Flash defended, “I wanted him to quit, not get hurt.”

“But you got what you wanted!” Superboy pointed out.

“Enough.” Aqualad jumped in, “I understand you are upset over Polybius, but now is not the time to divide ourselves over this. Kid Flash had nothing to do with this, and you cannot blame him for it.”

Superboy, rather than say anything, just gave an angry grunt and stormed off.

“I didn’t want this to happen.” Kid Flash repeated, “Yes, I wanted him gone, but not like this.”

“I do not think you have gotten rid of Polybius.” Aqualad corrected, “I am quite sure he will return.”

“You think so?” Miss Martian asked.

“If what he said is true, then I am sure he will.” Aqualad said.

“What did he say?” Artemis asked.

“He said that he really liked his job.” Miss Martian answered, “He said he didn’t want to leave, regardless of what you all tried to do to get him to leave.”

“Good.” Artemis said.

This surprised everyone as not long ago, Artemis had said she had wanted Polybius gone. She picked up on what she had just said and realized she needed to explain herself.

“Superboy was right.” Artemis said, “You just need to talk to him to like him. You should give it a try, Wally.”

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, after hearing the news that Polybius was going to survive, a wave of relief washed over everyone. However, with Polybius’s survival insured, their conversation turned back to what to do with Polybius after he got out of the hospital.

“He is going to need a caretaker.” Diana pointed out.

“I’ll do it!” Donna quickly spoke up.

“That won’t be necessary.” Bruce countered after he got off the phone with Robin.

“You have someone else in mind?” Clark asked.

“With the den mother gone, the Team is going to need a new one.” Bruce pointed out, “Whoever that person is, will also be responsible for taking care of Polybius.”

“Then I’ll do it full time!” Dinah offered, “I already do their training. I can take on that responsibility too.”

“It will likely be a weekly rotation between the League members.” Bruce stated, “However, it’s likely that Polybius may need round the clock care when he first gets out of here. If that’s the case, then we can assign a person to him.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Oliver said.

With that, Bruce left the group. Meanwhile, the doctor who had just reported Dinah’s decision was swiftly getting ready to start the operation.

“And go ahead and leave a prosthetic in the room.” The doctor added, “Just so we have it on standby if this all doesn’t work out.”

The nurse complied, and the operation to try and save Polybius’s leg began. As this happened, back at the cave, Superboy sat alone in his room. His anger was subsiding. However, a knock at his door would bring him out of his thoughts.

“Superboy?” Miss Martian asked from the other side, “May I come in?”

Superboy didn’t verbally respond as he just simply moved to open the door. 

“So!” Superboy started, “Anything I can help you with?”

“I was actually coming to see if you needed anything.” Miss Martian said.

“I’m fine.” Superboy countered.

“No, you’re not.” Miss Martian argued, “I want to help you.”

“I don’t need help.” Superboy countered.

“Then come join the rest of us.” Miss Martian said, “We’re going to watch a movie marathon to get our minds off of what happened.”

Superboy felt a spike of anger surge through him.

“How can you all be so fine with this!?” Superboy demanded, “Polybius nearly got killed

“We’re not!” Miss Martian quickly defended, “But we can’t focus on Polybius. We know he’s going to be alright and that he will come back.”

“But that doesn’t excuse what happened!” Superboy said.

“It doesn’t.” Miss Martian agreed, “I know he means a lot to you, but dwelling on it is not going to help neither you nor heal Polybius.”

“You don’t understand!” Superboy said, “He means more to me than any of you!”

This caught Miss Martian off guard. She was now realizing how much Polybius really meant to Superboy.

“He can relate to me like no one else can.” Superboy explained, “He gets me! He understands what I’m going through and knows how to help me!”

“About being an orphan?” Miss Martian asked.

“That’s part of it!” Superboy said.

“And you see him like an older brother?” Miss Martian asked.

“Yeah.” Superboy quietly agreed, his anger now subsiding again.

Miss Martian then took his hand, which prompted Superboy to meet her gaze.

“He’ll be fine.” Miss Martian assured him, “He’s in the best care possible right now, and all his stuff is here, so he will be back. I promise. Just, please, come join us.”

Superboy sighed and relented.

“Fine.” Superboy agreed.

As the two went off to join the others for a movie marathon, back at the hospital, a few quiet hours had passed. Clark and Diana left due to the whole operation taking as long as it did. Dinah, Oliver, and Donna, however, stayed back. 

“I’m going to go get us some food.” Oliver said, standing up, “You guys want anything?”

Both of them shook their heads, but that didn’t foo Oliver. He knew better and knew that both of their minds were focused on Polybius.

“I’ll bring you guys something.” Oliver said as he walked away.

It wasn’t long after he left, however, that the situation began to change. While for a long time, the only sound that filled the air between the two of them was the music the hospital played in the waiting room, this was broken when the doctor who had updated them on Polybius earlier burst into the room.

“Hey, we need you!” The doctor said, pointing at Dinah.

“What’s going on!?” Dinah asked as both she and Donna stood up.

“Polybius’s awake.” The doctor said.

“And?” Dinah asked, still panicked as both she and Donna rushed to him.

“He woke up and began freaking out.” The doctor explained, “We’re hoping that you can calm him down before we send in security.”

“Right.” Dinah said.

She and Donna began to follow the doctor, but he stopped them.

“Just her.” The doctor said, pointing to Dinah, “The girlfriend can wait out here.”

“I’m not-” Donna started before getting cut off by Dinah.

“Actually, she’s his best friend.” Dinah corrected, “The two have a very close bond. She’ll be very helpful in calming him down.”

“Fine.” The doctor said, “Follow me.”

The two followed the doctor down the hall to the ICU. As they approached, they saw a team of security personnel lined up outside the room Polybius was presumably in.

“Don’t you put that fucking thing on me!” The two could hear Polybius shout.

“He’s pissed.” Donna whispered to Black Canary.

“I wonder why?” Dinah questioned.

“You sure these two can calm him down, doc?” The security team leader asked.

“That one’s his adoptive mother.” The doctor replied, pointing at Dinah, “And the other one is his best friend.”

Everyone moved past to let Dinah and Donna through. The two stopped at the door, and Dinah took the lead.

“Polybius!” Dinah called into the room.

“Don’t play that shit with me!” Polybius warned in a stern and hostile tone.

“Polybius, it’s me!” Dinah called again, hoping he’d recognize her voice.

There wasn’t an immediate response from Polybius as it was clear he had to think about the voice he was hearing.

“Mom?” Polybius questioned.

“Yes, it’s me!” Dinah replied, “Donna’s here with me as well.”

“Donna?” Polybius followed up.

“I’m here, Polybius!” Donna spoke up, “Can we come in?”

“Just you two.” Polybius answered, “Keep the rest of them out there!”

Dinah and Donna didn’t hesitate to follow the order.

Upon walking into the room, they saw Polybius sitting on the bed. It was immediately apparent that he was shaken and in pain. However, upon seeing two familiar faces, a wave of relief visibly washed over him.

“Polybius?” Dinah asked as the two approached him.

Polybius didn’t respond as he kept his eyes locked on the door to see if anyone was going to follow them in. Once they reached him, they each went to opposite sides of his bed.

“Polybius look at me.” Dinah said calmly.

Polybius did move his head, but his eyes shifted to something else in the room.

“What’s wrong?” Donna asked, telling that something was troubling Polybius.

“Are they gonna take my leg?” Polybius asked, a slight sense of fear prevalent in his voice.

“No!” Dinah said, “I told them specifically not to, and to try and save your leg.”

“Then why is that there?” Polybius asked, pointing at what he was looking at.

The two then looked back and saw that a prosthetic limb was sitting in the room. After the two had a chance to look at it, Polybius grabbed his mother’s hand as she was the one closer to it and gripped it hard.

“You can’t let them put that on me!” Polybius begged as Dinah looked back at him.

“They won’t.” Dinah assured him.

“You’re not lying to me, right?” Polybius asked as panic began to rise in his tone.

“She’s not.” Donna assured him, prompting him to look at her, “But they’ve gotta do surgery to repair your leg.”

“But they ain’t takin my leg, right?” Polybius asked.

“They won’t, I promise.” Dinah assured him.

“Then why is that in here!” Polybius demanded.

“I don’t know.” Dinah explained, “But they have to do surgery to repair your leg if you’re going to keep it.”

Polybius seemed to calm down and loosen his grip on his mother’s hand. Both Dinah and Donna then proceeded to lay Polybius back down on the bed. He didn’t resist and allowed them to guide him down.

“Just close your eyes.” Dinah urged, “The doctors won’t take your leg, I promise.”

“You guys are gonna be here when I’m up?” Polybius asked.

“Of course!” Donna said, “We aren’t going anywhere, and we’ll be here when you wake up.”

“You better.” Polybius warned.

“Have we ever lied to you?” Donna asked.

“No.” Polybius answered.

With that, Polybius finally settled down and relaxed. Now that he had been reassured that nothing bad was going to happen to him. This allowed the doctors to come in and get him resituated. Once Polybius was knocked out again, Dinah and Donna were escorted back to the waiting room.

“Thank you.” The doctor said as they made their way back.

“You did that to yourselves.” Donna spoke up, “We warned you about the prosthetic.”

“Well, we wanted to have it on standby just in case.” The doctor said.

Once the two returned back to the waiting room, they saw Oliver sitting in the same area they were before they were called to deal with Polybius.

“Dinah!” Oliver greeted as the two approached him, “What happened?”

“Polybius woke up.” Dinah explained, “He saw a prosthetic limb and freaked out thinking they were going to put that on him.”

“Of course.” Oliver stated.

“Well, with how he was positioned, it was likely the first thing he saw when he woke up.” Dinah explained, “However, he’s calmed down now.”

“That’s good.” Oliver said, “How’s he doing otherwise?”

“He’s going to be alright.” Dinah said, “Seems like his injury isn’t even affecting his mental state.”

“That’s great news!” Oliver said, “See! I told you that you had nothing to worry about!”

“You’re right.” Dinah agreed.

“Come on.” Oliver said, “I got you and Donna some food.”

With that, the group sat down and relaxed. Meanwhile, Claudia and Wojtek were going back and forth again.

“I keep telling you, Claudia!” Wojtek started, “You worry too much about this!”

“The fact that you aren’t worrying about this is what worries me!” Claudia countered, “You were once the head of this project! How on Earth can you possibly think that this monster has just simply gone away like a freaking fairy tale!?”

“It’s not a fairy tale.” Wojtek countered.

“No it’s not.” Claudia said, “Because I think I’m starting to understand why you are so relaxed about this.”

“Oh?” Wojtek questioned.

“Yes.” Claudia said.

Then, on cue, two security guards walked into the room. Wojtek spun around and faced them before looking back at Claudia.

“Wojtek, until I am convinced otherwise, you are going to be locked up and observed due to the risk that you may potentially be either influenced by the entity to throw me off its trail or the actual entity itself.” Claudia stated.

“You can’t do this!” Wojtek shouted as the two guards grabbed him.

“I can, and I did.” Claudia said, “Take him to his new holding cell!”

With that, Wojtek was arrested and transferred to a holding cell. As he was carried away, Claudia sat by and watched. She had long suspected that Wojtek was under the influence of the entity and decided to act upon it. She would not rest until the entity was locked up in its cell and contained again.

Several hours later, Oliver had gone back home, seeing as Dinah had completely relaxed now that she was sure that Polybius wasn’t in danger. However, as promised, neither Donna nor Dinah left the hospital as they waited for Polybius. They had both fallen asleep while waiting at some point, but both were awake when the doctor who had been performing Polybius’s surgery walked into the room.

“Good news!” The doctor said as he approached them, “Despite the setback, we have been able to save Polybius’s leg. And he should be able to walk again.”

“Yes!” Both women cheered for Polybius.

“So what’s happening to him now?” Dinah asked.

“He’s being transferred to recovery.” The doctor said, “We’re going to keep him a couple nights for observation. We just want to make sure nothing adverse happens to his leg. However, for the first month he’s released, he’ll be confined to a wheelchair and need round the clock care.”

“That’s fine.” Dinah said, “But what about his blood? I know he lost a lot. How did that all go down?”

“He lost nearly three liters of blood, but we had more than enough blood to give him, so there is nothing to worry about there.” The doctor explained, “However, the reason we are having him confined to a wheelchair is we don’t want to risk him doing any further damage to his leg.”

“Alright.” Dinah said, “Anything else?”

“Nope.” The doctor said, “I can take you to his recovery room now if you’d like?”

“Yes!” Both women said.

With that, the two were taken to Polybius’s recovery room. There, they saw that he had been taken off the respirator and was now breathing fine on his own. That was a very relieving sight to them. 

“How long until he wakes up?” Donna asked.

“Should be within an hour.” The doctor replied.

With that, the doctor left, and the two took seats by his side as they waited for him to awake.

Sure enough, roughly an hour later, Polybius began to wake up again. He slowly opened his eyes, still dazed by the medicine he had been given.

“He’s waking up!” The voice of Donna rang in his ears.

Looking over, Polybius saw both his mother and best friend with smiles on their faces.

“Polybius!” Dinah greeted him as she gave him a warm hug.

“So I’m not dead.” Polybius said as he was swiftly coming back to his senses, “And I can feel my toes, so that means I’ve still got my leg, right?”

“Yes!” Donna said happily, “You’re alright!”

“Woo.” Polybius unenthusiastically cheered, “Now how long till I bust this joint?”

“Only a couple nights.” Dinah answered.

“Cool.” Polybius said.

“However, doctors say you’re going to need round the clock care for a little bit.” Dinah added, “And you’ll also be in a wheelchair for a while and won’t be able to walk for a long time.”

“I’ll be walking by Christmas.” Polybius countered.

“If you say so.” Dinah said.

“I know so.” Polybius countered, “Right, Donna?”

“I’m not Putting it past you.” Donna said.

“Exactly.” Polybius said.

About thirty minutes later, in Mount Justice, the Team was just waking up. However, they didn’t sleep well as they were unaware of Polybius’s current status.

Superboy had the worst sleep out of everyone and was slow to drag himself out of bed that morning. And when he finally did, he was even slower to get to the main room where Batman was waiting.

“About time!” Kid Flash groaned.

“Yeah, yeah.” Superboy brushed off, “Any update on Polybius?”

“He’s projected to make a full recovery.” Batman stated.

The Team cheered for Polybius upon hearing the news.

“So when is he going to be back?” Superboy asked.

“Next week.” Batman stated, “However, he is going to need round the clock care for some time, during which he will also be confined to a wheelchair.”

“So who is going to take care of him?” Artemis asked.

“Right now, we have a handful of volunteers who offered to do it.” Batman said, “They will be the first ones rotated in the new den mother schedule, which will rotate weekly.”

“So who’s got it this week?” Robin asked.

“Captain Marvel will go first.” Batman explained.

“You want him taking care of Polybius?” Kid Flash asked.

“Polybius won’t be back until it rotates to Black Canary.” Batman stated.

“Of course.” Kid Flash muttered, “Anything else about this whole Polybius situation we should know about?”

“They will also be assisted by Wonder Girl.” Batman added.

“Wonder Girl?” The Team questioned.

“What connection does she have to Polybius?” Robin asked 

“The two are best friends.” Batman stated, “They have been for a long time, and she was adamant about assisting Polybius.”

“That’s fine.” Kid Flash said, “Always wanted to see that babe in person.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 8! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think about this, and as always, have a good one!


	9. Chapter 9: This, That, and the Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now released from the hospital, Polybius is taken back to Mount Justice to recover. The Team is away when he returns and Dinah got called up to action, leaving Polybius and Donna alone for the first time in months. The two have a long conversation that roller coasters from being very serious to very light hearted. During this conversation, it is revealed just how close they are to each other.

_Chapter 9_

_This, That, and the Other..._

Polybius’s initial recovery had been remarkably fast. Despite his injury and near-death incident, he acted as if nothing happened and brushed it off.

However, his time in the hospital had been relatively uneventful. All of the Leaguers who could pay Polybius a visit did so. The young man appreciated every single one as it reminded him that a lot of people cared about him, and he wasn’t alone.

Of course, he always felt loved and cared for when his adoptive mother or best friend was around. And the two would always go out of their way to prove it. However, Polybius knew that neither of them were quite fully aware of how much he appreciated them, especially the little things.

The fact that the two had maximized the amount of time they could spend with him while he was in the hospital meant the world to him.

Regardless, today was the day that Polybius was going to get released from the hospital. Of course, both of them were there to help transport Polybius back to Mount Justice. Dinah walked alongside him while Donna pushed the wheelchair Polybius was in.

As they exited the hospital, Polybius grumbled about being put in a wheelchair and insisted that he would get around fine on crutches. However, the doctors didn’t want to risk him putting any weight on his leg. Despite this, he was promised that he would be out of the wheelchair soon.

The trip to Mount Justice was a mostly silent one. The trio took the Zeta Tubes to the Cave. Once there, they found Mount Justice to be empty as the Team was out on a mission. Polybius only knew bits and pieces of what was going on. However, it sounded like an ‘Injustice League’ had formed and was wreaking havoc with plants. The extent of how bad the situation was was unknown to Polybius, but he did suspect that his adoptive mother was going to get called up soon.

Regardless of where the Team was or what was going on, Polybius lacked much of an ability to care about it. While he hated the idea of being confined to bed, the idea of spending a lot of quality time with both his mother and best friend did excite him. Especially Donna, as the two hadn’t spent any time together since before he had come into the employment of the League. Knowing Donna and just how close the two were, she wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

Regardless, Polybius was glad that the Team wasn’t in the Cave at that moment in time. Polybius was especially worried about Kid Flash and his naturally flirty attitude and how it would affect Donna.

However, upon arrival at his room, and like Polybius had predicted, Dinah got the call to action.

“I’ll be fine.” Polybius assured his mother as Donna helped him into his bed, “I’ve got Donna here. She’ll take care of me.”

“I know she will.” Dinah replied, “Doesn’t mean I can’t worry.”

“Have I ever let either of you down?” Donna asked.

“Well, if you want to get technical about it…” Polybius started in a joking tone.

“Shut up!” Donna replied as she let out a chuckle.

“But on a serious note, I trust her with my life.” Polybius turned, “Mom, you have nothing to worry about.”

“I’m glad you trust her that much.” Dinah said, “Doesn’t mean I can’t worry.”

“Well, you better not!” Polybius countered, “Stay focused on the fight and not me!”

“I know.” Dinah countered, “You don’t have to lecture me on fighting Polybius. That’s my job.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Polybius said, “Just win and don’t get killed.”

“I was planning on doing exactly that.” Dinah said.

With that, Dinah rushed off to go join the action, leaving Polybius and Donna alone for the first time in a long time.

“Do you need anything, Polybius?” Donna asked as Polybius got situated in bed.

“I’m fine.” Polybius brushed off.

“Polybius.” Donna said, in a stern tone, “You can’t say you’re fine all the time. I know you like to take care of yourself, but you’re gonna have to let me help you.”

“Bah!” Polybius brushed off in a light-hearted manner, “I’ve survived so much worse, and I’ll survive this easy! Remember! Walking by Christmas!”

“Yeah, well, first you gotta get through this first month.” Donna countered, “Round the clock care with me for a whole month!”

“Must make you feel special!” Polybius joked.

“Sure does!” Donna returned in the same light-hearted tone.

Polybius then laid back in his bed. However, he then realized something that he had overlooked until now.

“Say?” Polybius started, “Where are you gonna sleep?”

“Uh?” Donna started, “That’s a good question!”

“Geez.” Polybius said out loud, “Well, I think I still have that blow-up mattress that you always slept on when you’d do overnights at my apartment. You can set it up, and then we can rock and roll.”

“In here?” Donna questioned.

“Where else?” Polybius asked, “I might need you at 2:30 in the morning.”

“Now, don’t you think me, sleeping in here, will start rumors?” Donna asked.

“Well, considering I share this building with a bunch of horny teens, of course!” Polybius stated, “However, I don’t care what they say or think. The fact of the matter is, nothing sexual has ever happened between us, nor ever will because I was born without sexual organs or a sex drive, and you went through a horrific nightmare that you had to get yours removed to save your life.”

“Don’t remind me.” Donna said with a slight sense of fear in her tone, “That still gives me nightmares.”

“Yeah, me too!” Polybius stated, “But then again, all I have are nightmares anymore.”

“Me too.” Donna stated.

“You too?” Polybius questioned.

“Yeah.” Donna admitted, “Not long after we talked last, I started just having nothing but nightmares again.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Polybius asked.

“I didn’t want you to worry.” Donna admitted, “You already worry too much about me, anyway.”

“The hell I do!” Polybius countered, “It was my fault you got dragged down into that horrible place in the first place. I take full responsibility for what happened to you, Donna! You can’t leave me in the dark like this!”

“I know.” Donna said, “And I also know it’s not your fault. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Still my fault.” Polybius countered.

“No, it’s not.” Donna said, “And I’m not having this argument with you!”

“Fine.” Polybius said, “Because there is nothing you can say or do that will change my mind.”

“And I accept that.” Donna stated, “But like I said, we’re not arguing about this now!”

“Fine, fine.” Polybius said before going back to his more light-hearted tone, “But if you need a place to sleep, I’ll freaking move over and make room for you because now that I think about it, I think I did get rid of that bed because a rat ate a hole in it.”

“Oh yeah, like that won’t start rumors.” Donna countered, taking up a more light-hearted tone.

“Oh, please.” Polybius brushed off, “The League knows that neither of us can do sexual stuff! That’s why we get left alone together so much.”

“But what about the Team?” Donna asked, “I don’t want them spreading rumors about us.”

“I’ll squash that.” Polybius assured her.

“Yeah, I’ll figure something else out.” Donna said.

“You sure?” Polybius asked, “It’ll be just like old times.”

“Yeah, that situation was different.” Donna countered, “We only had each other as warmth in that decrepit place.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Polybius said, “Like a freaking five-star hotel compared to where I’ve had to sleep before.”

“Well, I’m glad that’s behind us.” Donna said.

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed.

There was a moment of silence between the two before Polybius spoke again.

“I’ve got a question.” Polybius spoke up, his tone now more serious.

“Yes?” Donna asked, matching his tone.

“How close was I to losing my leg?” Polybius asked.

“Close.” Donna answered truthfully.

“How close?” Polybius followed up.

“Too close.” Donna answered, “I’m honestly surprised you still have it. From what I heard, it was bad.”

“It was.” Polybius said, “But I didn’t think it was that bad. I mean, I didn’t die!”

“I’m glad you didn’t die.” Donna said, “I wouldn’t survive if you died. That would be the end of me.”

“Bah.” Polybius said, “You’d survive.”

“No, I wouldn’t.” Donna said, “After everything we’ve been through and everything you’ve done for me… As much as my mother would hate to hear me say this, I love you!”

“Yeah… Your mother would hate to hear you say that to a man.” Polybius agreed, trying to shift the topic.

“Oh, so you’re saying you don’t love me?” Donna questioned in a playful tone.

“Donna, I love you more than anything else.” Polybius stated, “And don’t you ever forget that!”

“I won’t.” Donna replied, “But you do know that I really mean that I really do love you? Right?”

“Of course!” Polybius said, “Why the doubt?”

“Well, I just want you to know that no matter what happens to you, I’ll still love you.” Donna said, “Even if you get disfigured.”

“And the same goes to you!” Polybius said.

“Thanks, but I think you’re trying to avoid or are missing my point.” Donna said.

“I must be.” Polybius said.

“What I’m trying to say is that even if you lose a limb and get a mechanical prosthetic, I won’t reject you.” Donna explained.

“Sure.” Polybius countered, not believing her.

“Polybius.” Donna said in a stern tone, “I know that you’re terrified of having a prosthetic limb put on you, or a mechanical one. I know you’re afraid that it’ll cause the people closest to you to distance themselves from you and reject you. But I promise you, by all of the gods, that I will always love you.”

Polybius looked away from her. He was on the fence about believing her. He wanted to convince himself that she was telling him the truth and that she wasn’t lying. However, he knew better than to fully trust promises like that.

“Polybius, please!” Donna said as she took his hand, “Talk to me. What are you thinking?”

Polybius let out a long sigh before he began speaking.

“I want to believe you.” Polybius admitted truthfully, “But there is just… It’s just something telling me otherwise.”

“What is?” Donna asked.

“I don’t know.” Polybius said, finally looking over at her.

“A little voice in the back of your head?” Donna asked.

“If that’s what you call it.” Polybius said.

“Well, you need to do what you love to do, and tell it to shut up!” Donna said, “Because I love you, Polybius! No matter what!”

“You’re right.” Polybius agreed as he faced her again, “Little voice in the back of my head, shut the fuck up!”

Donna chuckled at Polybius’s statement. She was thrilled to see that he was doing much better and back to his usual self despite his injuries.

“Say, speaking of telling people to shut up!” Polybius started, “If Kid Flirt gives you any issues, you let me know, and I’ll squash that crap.”

“Kid Flirt?” Donna asked.

“Kid Flash.” Polybius explained, “Kid Flirt is my nickname for him.”

“Why is that?” Donna asked, stifling a laugh.

“Cause that’s all he freaking does!” Polybius said, anger in his tone, “I swear, if he’s talking to any female remotely hot, he starts flirting! I mean, he flirts with Miss Martian every time he talks to her! Hell, he even flirted with my Mom!”

“Well, he has a snowball’s chance in Tartarus with her!” Donna stated.

“Oh yeah.” Polybius agreed, “Kid Flirt really pisses me off so much.”

“I can tell.” Donna said.

“Oh, that’s not even the half of it!” Polybius said, “He also really comes off, at least to me, as an objectifier.”

“Of women?” Donna asked.

“Oh hell yeah.” Polybius said, “He seems to treat them more like sexual objects than people. And you know I absolutely hate that crap!”

“I do too!” Donna said, “Great Hera, he sounds like a real piece of crap!”

“Oh he is.” Polybius agreed, “I can’t stand him! And I one hundred percent guarantee you, he is going to flirt with you.”

“Aw, gross!” Donna stated.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “And if he gives you any problems, you come to me. You know darn well that I’ll put him in his place.”

“You bet!” Donna agreed.

“That, and I don’t want him tearing open old wounds.” Polybius stated.

“Yeah…” Donna agreed, her tone softer than before.

“Look, after what you’ve been through and how long your recovery was, I do not want you to go through that nightmarish hell again.” Polybius stated, “If you feel remotely uncomfortable with him, or any of these other little a-holes running around here, you let me know, and I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you, Polybius.” Donna said, “But you know I can take care of myself, and I’m supposed to be the one taking care of you.”

“I know.” Polybius said, “I’m not trying to paint you like a damsel in distress or incapable. I’m just reassuring you that I’m here and that I don’t want you to get those old wounds torn open again.”

“Of course!” Donna said, “Polybius, you seem to forget that I’ve known you long enough, that you don’t have to tell me this!”

“Ah, well!” Polybius started, “Reminders are always a good thing, right?”

“I guess.” Donna said, “Say, do you have any idea of when they’re getting back?”

“Nope!” Polybius answered, “But keep them away! I know darn well that the first place they are gonna come is here. They all are gonna want the scoop on me, so be prepared.”

“If you don’t want them, I’ll send them away.” Donna said, “Tell them that you’re trying to sleep or something.”

“Now, with you in here, wouldn’t that lead to the rumors you’re so worried about?” Polybius asked.

“Maybe.” Donna said, “However, they should be aware that I’m going to be with you at all times for at least a few weeks.”

“Between how much information comes down from Batman and how much they like to listen, they probably have no clue.” Polybius stated.

“Oh, so they don’t like to listen?” Donna asked.

“They’re not good at it.” Polybius stated, “Considering most of their recon missions turn into target elimination missions according to their own agenda.”

“Well then, I guess I’ll have to be on my toes.” Donna said.

“With them, yeah.” Polybius said, “Although, Superboy ain’t that bad.”

“Really?” Donna asked, “I hear he’s angry all the time.”

“He’s got a temper.” Polybius said, “I’ve been helping him work on that, actually. However, he’s got a short fuse, and just about anything will set him off.”

“Do you think he’ll force his way in here?” Donna asked.

“I’m honestly, not sure.” Polybius said, “He does have a lot of respect for me, so I hope he wouldn’t. But I’m not going to put it past him.”

“Cool.” Donna replied, “Well, what about the others?”

“Well, Aqualad seems cool.” Polybius stated, “Honestly, I don’t know him all that well. But Robin also seems pretty chill.”

“Alright.” Donna said, “Anything I should be worried about?”

“Nah.” Polybius said, “I might worry about Artemis, though. She seems like the one to spread rumors.”

“So she’s the one who will try and say we’re a couple?” Donna asked.

“Maybe.” Polybius said, “Although, Kid Flash might do so as well. I know he doesn’t like me and wants me gone. And I’m pretty sure he’ll do anything to get rid of me.”

“Well, he had better back off!” Donna said defensively.

“Oh, look at you!” Polybius teased, “Getting all defensive about me!”

“Somebody has too.” Donna said, “At least, somebody other than your mother.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Polybius agreed.

“Yeah, I am right.” Donna corrected, “Seriously, Polybius, what would you do without me?”

“Things.” Polybius answered.

Donna let out a small laugh before she continued the conversation.

“Anybody else I need to be worried about?” Donna asked.

“Miss Martian.” Polybius said, “She’s going through a bit of a culture shock right now, coming from Mars and all.”

“I get it.” Donna said, “Man’s world was a very intimidating when I first got here.”

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed, “I mean, it’s so radically different from the worlds both of us grew up in.”

“Yeah.” Donna agreed, “But we’ve both made our place here.”

“Learned to live in this confusing place.” Polybius added, “And geez, does it suck!”

“Better than where you came from.” Donna stated.

“It wasn’t always bad.” Polybius said.

“The situation we found you in was one of the worst, if not the worse I’ve ever seen!” Donna said.

“Again, you’re forgetting that I lived a life before that.” Polybius said.

“One of uncertainty and violence!” Donna said.

“And lots of fun!” Polybius added on.

“If you can call it that.” Donna said.

“I do!” Polybius affirmed, “Most fun I’ve had in my life.”

“Okay.” Donna said in a light-hearted tone.

“I will admit, though, there are things about that time I do really miss.” Polybius said.

“Like what?” Donna asked out of curiosity.

“My brothers and sisters.” Polybius said, his tone now picking up sadness, “I miss them the most.”

“I’m sorry.” Donna said, all of the playfulness gone from her tone as she didn’t expect him to say that.

“No, it’s alright.” Polybius stated, “They just came up the other day, and I got reminded of how much I miss them.”

“I bet.” Donna said, “I can’t imagine how hard it must be. I mean, I would be devastated if I lost my sisters. But you lost more than that. You lost your family.”

“My first family.” Polybius corrected as he took Donna’s hand and smiled, “But I couldn’t be happier about the one I have now.”

Donna returned the smile as the two shared a warm moment.

“But I also miss stacking bodies!” Polybius added in, going back to his light-hearted tone.

“There it is.” Donna said.

“Yeah.” Polybius said as he let go of her hand, “I tell ya, there’s nothing that quite gets me going like a good fight.”

“Oh, trust me, I know.” Donna said, “I’ve seen you tear up enemies before.”

“I know I’m good at it.” Polybius stated.

“Which is why I never worry about being captured.” Donna followed up, “Because I know you’ll tear Tartarus apart for me.”

“Well, whoever decides to kidnap is one seriously dumb idiot.” Polybius said, “Cause you know it’s not gonna be just me tearing through everything to get you.”

“Yeah.” Donna agreed, “But I know you’ll approach it more tacitly than Diana.”

“You are correct on that account.” Polybius agreed, “I would probably do some more covert actions while your sister would just tear straight through.”

“We both know she would.” Donna said, “She’d freaking bust in and destroy everything in her path to get to me.”

“Alerting everyone in the process.” Polybius followed up, “Next thing you know, we’ve got another hostage because whatever took you out, definitely can take her out as well.”

“Yep.” Donna agreed, “However, I hope you would be able to talk some sense into her.”

“Like she’d listen to me.” Polybius scoffed.

“I think she would.” Donna said.

“No she wouldn’t!” Polybius countered.

“Polybius, she, as well as the rest of the League, respects you more than you realize.” Donna pointed out.

“Sure they do.” Polybius brushed off.

“Polybius, if it weren’t for you, most of them wouldn’t be here. I definitely wouldn’t be here either!” Donna stated.

“You all would have died if I hadn’t intervened, yes.” Polybius agreed.

“Right!” Donna cheered, “And they respect you because you lead them to safety, and put aside your own for theirs’ as well! Polybius, I know they want you to join them and become a hero.”

“I’ve put that life behind me.” Polybius stated, “I’ve seen enough senseless violence in my lifetime.”

“But why do you tolerate it?” Donna asked, “We both want world peace, and you go on and on about taking action! Why not now?”

“You know why.” Polybius said.

“Then go solo!” Donna offered.

“That’ll probably put me at odds with them considering my conduct.” Polybius pointed out.

“You just need to bend it a little.” Donna stated.

“I don’t know.” Polybius stated.

“Would you do it for me?” Donna asked, “Please.”

“Well, if I was getting involved, I’d say yes.” Polybius stated, “However, for now, I choose to remain as support.”

“I’ll take that.” Donna replied, “For now.”

“For now?” Polybius questioned, “What do you mean ‘for now?’”

“For now.” Donna repeated.

Polybius let out a sigh as he knew what she was talking about but didn’t want to address it.

“Ah, well, the future is constantly in motion.” Polybius said, “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. And who knows, maybe you’ll get out.”

“Yeah, right!” Donna said.

“You sure?” Polybius asked, “You did take a very long break after we got back from those trials.”

“That was different.” Donna said, “Very different.”

“Is it?” Polybius asked.

“It is!” Donna affirmed.

“If you say so.” Polybius brushed off.

“I do say so!” Donna countered, “And you know what! Maybe if you get in, you and I can become a dynamic duo!”

“A dynamic duo?” Polybius asked, stifling a laugh.

“Yeah!” Donna said, also stifling a laugh, “With my raw power and your wicked intelligence, we’d be unstoppable!”

“And what would we call ourselves?” Polybius asked, “Wonder Girl and her bitch?”

“No!” Donna said, letting out a laugh as well, “We don’t need some fancy name. You could go by Purple Eagle, and I could go by Troia!”

“Troia?” Polybius questioned, “Where did that name come from?”

“Well, recently, I saw a media article where they called me that.” Donna explained, “And as much as I don’t like having my name incorrectly blasted everywhere, I do like the sound of it.”

“Troia, huh?” Polybius asked.

“But of course, you would still call me Donna.” Donna quickly stated, “I’m sure that’s a name I would hang on to.”

“I hope.” Polybius said, “Shoot, I’ve been calling you Donna since we freaking met! It would take me forever to learn to call you something else.”

“I’m sure you’d pick up on it.” Donna assured him before shifting the conversation, “What about you? Go back to Purple Eagle?”

“Oh, now, I don’t know about that.” Polybius said, “If we were both to do the dynamic duo thing, we’d be a highly covert thing.”

“Would we?” Donna asked.

“Hell yes!” Polybius said, “You seem to forget that I don’t like people nor being the center of attention.”

“Well, the first I can understand.” Donna said, “And I can see where you’re coming from on the second.”

“Exactly!” Polybius said, “So if we did this, our enemies wouldn’t know who or what hit them.”

“But think about it!” Donna said, “We’d still be heroes! Fighting the good fight on our own terms! Just like back during the trials!”

“We weren’t fighting the good fight during the trials. We were fighting for our lives and sanity!” Polybius pointed out.

“Still the good fight.” Donna said.

“I guess.” Polybius said, “Saving each other, but still.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Donna brushed off, “But still, Troia and Purple Eagle.”

“Sounds like a fantasy.” Polybius said.

“Sounds like the future.” Donna said.

“Oh please, like you’ll leave Wonder Woman’s side as Wonder Girl.”

“I don’t know.” Donna said.

“Oh?” Polybius asked, genuinely surprised by Donna’s statement.

“I mean now, don’t get me wrong, I love being Wonder Girl.” Donna started, “But… I have been thinking about striking out on my own.”

“Why? You and Diana are like that!” Polybius asked as he crossed his fingers.

“It’s not her!” Donna quickly defended, “It’s more me. It’s just… I know sooner or later, I’m going to have to leave man’s world forever. I don’t want to be forgotten in the shadow of my older sister.”

“You want a legacy of your own.” Polybius said.

“Yeah.” Donna confirmed, “And I just… I don’t see how I can do that living as Wonder Girl! I mean, come on! ‘Wonder’ is in both of our names! How can I build my own legacy with that?”

“Fair.” Polybius agreed, “But what’s holding you back?”

“A lot.” Donna admitted.

“Like how you’re afraid of how everyone will react?” Polybius asked.

“That’s half of it.” Donna said, “The other half is if I step out of that role and stop being Wonder Girl, I will lose my reason for getting off the island. Wonder Girl is a title that comes with special privileges that I enjoy.”

“Like getting away from that island?” Polybius asked.

“Yeah!” Donna agreed, “That’s the big one right there! And if I get locked up on the island, then I won’t be able to see you!”

“Aw.” Polybius said, happy that she cared for him, “Don’t worry. I’d sneak on and visit you.”

“No.” Donna said, “I refuse to put you in that kind of danger.”

“Okay.” Polybius said, not taking up the fight there, “What about you sneaking off?”

“Well, you see, if they find out that I am sneaking off, especially to go see you, a man, then I’m afraid that they’ll permanently get rid of me and won’t allow me back on the island!” Donna worried.

“And you don’t want to be banished from your home.” Polybius said.

“Of course!” Donna said, “Being an Amazon is part of who I am! I can’t turn away from that, even if I was adopted by them.”

“I get it.” Polybius assured her, “But I promise you, that no matter what you choose, I will support you, and if the worst-case scenario happens, you always have me to fall back on.”

“Thank you, Polybius.” Donna said, “But, what’s your advice?”

“Well, if you ask me, I’m going to tell you to do what makes you happy.” Polybius explained, “Don’t get caught up in what other people will think about you because they don’t matter. There is no point in living a sad life for other people. All that does is lead to depression and misery. The only people whose thoughts should matter to you are those closest to you. And now, you know me and that I’ll back you up on whatever decision you make.”

“But what about Diana and my mother?” Donna asked, “What will they think?”

“Oh, I’m sure Diana will understand.” Polybius assured his best friend, “I have a hard time seeing her hold that against you.”

“But my mother and sisters?” Donna asked.

“Are too narrow-minded.” Polybius stated.

“Narrow-minded?” Donna asked, a little confused about what Polybius was saying.

“Look. You know me well enough to know that I don’t divide people on whether or not they are a man or a woman. Black, white, Asian, or anything else. I see everyone as intelligent living creatures. As people. I don’t look down upon anyone because of the way or where they were born because they have no control over it! That is the dumbest thing I can think of, and it’s wrong.” Polybius explained.

“It’s very wrong.” Donna agreed.

“And I’m very glad I’ve been able to teach you better.” Polybius said, “However, it’s that narrow-mindedness is what’s going to get people senselessly killed. It’s happened before and will happen again if narrow-mindedness isn’t stopped wherever it’s encountered.”

“So, what are you saying?” Donna asked.

“What I’m saying is don’t let them influence your decision.” Polybius told her, “They are too narrow-minded to comprehend this world.”

“But they’re my family.” Donna said.

“At some point, you have to put that aside.” Polybius said, “Because even though you consider them family, family doesn’t always what is truly best for you.”

“But shouldn’t I at least listen to what they have to say?” Donna asked.

“You can.” Polybius said, “I’m just warning you about the narrow-mindedness of the Amazons. I’ve seen what that kind of thought can do.”

“I know.” Donna said, “Fortunately, the Amazons have no plans of ever doing that.”

“For now.” Polybius warned, “Never put it past them.”

“Polybius…” Donna started.

“I’m not talking like a madman.” Polybius said, “I’m talking about a distinct possibility that could happen. And if that should happen, you already know which side I would stand on, regardless of where you fall.”

“Polybius, please stop.” Donna asked, “I’d rather not think about this.”

“What we do not think or talk about is what we are left most unprepared for.” Polybius stated.

Donna shook her head.

“If that’s the case, then I hope that there will never be a day where we have to stand against each other.” Donna said.

“I hope so as well.” Polybius said with a genuine smile on his face before shifting the conversation back to the original topic, “So, Troia. That does have a nice ring to it.”

“I’m glad you like it!” Donna said happily, “I did too when I first heard it.”

“So Troia and Purple Eagle, huh?” Polybius followed up, “We would make quite the team. You hit em high, while I hit em low.”

“Or I hit them in the front, and you kick them in the back.” Donna said, “Wouldn’t that be the life.”

“Sure would be.” Polybius agreed.

“Then let’s do it!” Donna said.

“Now?” Polybius asked, “I’m sorry, but while that life would be enjoyable, I’ve already stated why I don’t want to do it.”

“Aw…” Donna replied in a sad tone.

“That is!” Polybius started, “Unless you can convince me otherwise before I start walking again.”

Donna looked at Polybius in disbelief.

“Really!?” Donna asked, excitement high in her tone.

“You gotta convince me.” Polybius said, “If not, then I’m just gonna continue mopping the halls of Mount Justice.”

“Now you know you’ll roll over to me!” Donna said.

“Well, before you start convincing me of going as a dynamic duo, you had better figure out your situation first.” Polybius said, “Because I promise you, you’ll have a much better time convincing me to join you if you’re squared away first.”

“Of course!” Donna said happily.

“Just make sure you don’t rush.” Polybius said, “Remember, I’m going to be down for a while. Think things through first, then execute. Don’t rush headfirst into this.”

“Of course!” Donna assured him, “I’m just so happy that you’ll hear me out!”

“I always will be open to you.” Polybius said.

“I know!” Donna said, “It’s just hearing you say that you’ll hear me out on this makes me ecstatic!”

“Well, you had better be.” Polybius said, “Now, why don’t we shit this conversation to something more light-hearted. I’m tired of being all depressive and serious. Donna! Make me laugh!”

“Oh, you’re gonna laugh!” Donna said as she began stifling her own laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 9! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and as always, have a good one!


	10. Chapter 10: Professional Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia, now dragged out of her office and forced to go and see a new weapon test, runs into her ex Irene. Since the two didn't separate on bad terms, rather it was the practically thing to do at the time, they click instantly. Irene reveals that she and her counterpart Chief Z are working on something they believe will change the game. Claudia is skeptical as the department Irene works for says that all the time, and has yet to yield and results. However, Irene is confident that this really is the game changer once it's complete.
> 
> Back at Mount Justice, after the Team checks up on Polybius and leaves him with Black Canary and Donna, Polybius tries to push Donna to go see therapy with a professional. Donna initially feels betrayed by this, but Polybius makes several good points, and Black Canary, who before, was completely unaware of Donna's situation, supports it. Donna expresses how upset that she was blindsided by this, but eventually makes a decision.

_Chapter 10_

_Professional Help..._

Upon their return to the cave, the Team immediately began making their way to Polybius’s room. Everyone except for Kid Flash, who had to go to the medial bay first to get his broken arm tended to first. They were all eager and excited to see Polybius again.

As they approached the young man’s room, they could hear a lot of laughter coming from it. They recognized Polybius’s, but not the other person’s.

“Who else was left with Polybius?” Artemis asked.

“Wonder Girl.” Robin answered.

“Oh yeah.” Artemis said, “I wonder if she’s as pretty as everyone claims she is?”

As they got closer to the door, they heard Polybius speaking.

“He looks like a petrified pig wearing a business suit!” Polybius laughed.

“That’s so horrible…” Wonder Girl laughed.

“Then, why are you laughing!?” Polybius laughed.

Wonder Girl didn’t answer as the two kept laughing. However, when the Team knocked on the door, they both settled down and caught their breaths.

“It’s either Mom or the Team.” Polybius said, “Yeah, uh, come in!”

The door opened to reveal Polybius laying in bed and Wonder Girl sitting at the foot facing them.

“It’s the Team!” Polybius said, “Welcome, to a broken Polybius!”

Polybius then displayed his wrapped up leg for them to see, clearly still in a playful mood.

“Well he certainly sounds better.” Artemis was the first to speak up as the Team walked in.

“I’ve been through worse.” Polybius asserted.

“But are you okay?” Superboy asked.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “I won’t be walking until Christmas, but whatever.”

“It sounds like you got lucky.” Aqualad commented.

“Meh.” Polybius replied before changing the subject, “So! Have you met my best friend, Donna?”

The group’s attention shifted towards Wonder Girl, who was slightly taken off guard by Polybius’s sudden shift. However, she was quick to get her composure together and introduce herself.

“Hello.” Donna greeted, “I’m Wonder Girl, but you may call me Donna.”

“Hi!” Miss Martian greeted for the Team, “I’m M’gann, but you can call me Megan. This is Robin, Superboy, Artemis, and Aqualad.”

“Please, call me Kaldur.” Aqualad insisted.

“Well then, it’s a pleasure to meet you all!” Donna replied.

“Hold up!” Polybius said, “Where’s Kid Flirt?”

“He got his arm broken during the fight.” Artemis explained.

“Oh.” Polybius replied, “Bet ya, he’s gonna milk that for all he can get out of it.”

“You know it!” Artemis agreed.

“Go, figures.” Polybius muttered.

As the Team carried on their conversation with Polybius and Donna, meanwhile, Claudia was struggling to stay awake in her chair. She didn’t get much sleep the previous night due to her thinking she may have had a new lead on the entity. However, by the time the sun was coming up, she figured out it was bogus and only got two hours of sleep in.

Claudia knew she was here to witness a new weapon demonstration that was supposed to ‘change the game.’ She had glossed over the report as she knew this test, like all that had come before it, was a waste of her time. These weapons never changed the game and always had some major inherent flaw that could be exploited easily. Because of this, she had lost all faith in the security department to keep her safe.

“Claudia!” A woman shouted as she snapped her fingers in front of her.

“I’m up!” Claudia shouted.

“Geez.” The woman said, “You are just as out of it now as you were back then.”

“Irene!” Claudia stood up and greeted.

“Good to see you!” Irene returned.

“My gosh, what are you doing here!?” Claudia asked, “I thought you got transferred to site 9 Alpha?”

“Well, those orders fell through.” Irene replied, “That, and I decided to take my career in a different direction.”

“Did you?” Claudia asked.

“I did.” Irene replied, “You see, I’ve always hated our security. So I decided to begin dabbling in weapons design.”

“That’s exciting!” Claudia replied, “And is it your weapon that will be in the presentation today?”

“No.” Irene said, “Mine is… still in the prototype phase.”

“What’s wrong with it?” Claudia asked.

“Well… It’s supposed to be an AI weapon.” Irene explained, “However, the brain I and my counterpart, Chief Z, built is just not smart enough for what we need.”

“Not smart enough?” Claudia asked.

“It’s predictable.” Irene answered, “And that’s the inherent problem I have with AI and machines. No matter how smart you make it, all machines run on an algorithm. An always predictable one too. And the sad part is, if you study the machine enough, you will learn and memorize its algorithm, and then it will be defeated, which destroys so many advantages that it would have over an organic host.”

“Then, why not get an organic host?” Claudia asked.

“That would require a serious redesign.” Irene replied, “Plus, then we have to throw loyalty into the question, and can we even control it?”

“Yeah, that is a problem.” Claudia agreed, “We can’t have another incident like the last one.”

“Still can’t believe that happened.” Irene said.

“I can.” Claudia admitted, “If the security department had done their freaking job, it wouldn’t have happened!”

“No, it wouldn’t have.” Irene agreed, “But, I hear that the head of that department is getting ready to retire in a few weeks.”

“Is he?” Claudia asked.

“That’s what the word is on the street is.” Irene said, “And if he does, then Chief Z is certainly in the running to take it over.”

“Are you certain Chief Z would even take that?” Claudia asked.

“I don’t think so.” Irene answered, “In all honesty, I wouldn’t either. This project we’re working on is actually going to change the game.”

“Is that your guys’s motto?” Claudia asked, “Because every time someone outside your department hears that, we hear that, we know it’s bogus.”

“This one actually is.” Irene said, “We got our hands on a metal that’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before. I’m not going to go into the detail because that could get both of us executed, but, I promise you, this one is actually going to be a game-changer.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Claudia replied.

“Oh you will.” Irene confirmed, “Now what about you? What have you been up to?”

“Well, I recently took over as head of Entity 82.” Claudia answered.

“82!?” Irene asked, “But that one hasn’t been seen in years! It’s still being tracked?”

“It is. I stayed up late last night on a-” Claudia yawned, “-a possible lead that was total BS.”

“Of course, it was.” Irene said, “If it’s 82 you’re after, then good luck.”

“Thank you.” Claudia answered, “Who knows, maybe your robot could handle it.”

“If we can get the brain right, it might.” Irene replied.

A few hours later, at Mount Justice, Kid Flash had finally been released and was on the hunt. He had seen Wonder Girl on TV and was very eager to see if she looked just as good in real life.

However, his hunt would take him longer than expected as both Artemis and Polybius knew this was going to happen. They both knew that he was coming straight for Polybius’s room, so Artemis decided to take Donna to her room while Polybius awaited Kid Flash to set things straight.

As Polybius waited, Donna and Artemis made sure to close the door behind them. However, the first person to knock on his door wasn’t Kid Flash like he had expected. Instead, it was his adoptive mother.

“Polybius!” Dinah greeted as she walked in and closed the door behind her.

“Mom!” Polybius returned.

The two shared a warm yet quick embrace before they resumed their conversation.

“Where’s Donna?” Dinah asked.

“I sent her with Artemis so I could talk to Wally first.” Polybius said, “Don’t want bad things to happen.”

“I don’t blame you.” Dinah agreed.

“Say, but I do want your advice on something.” Polybius said, “About her.”

“Relationship advice?” Dinah teased.

“No, no, no, no.” Polybius said, “This is actually serious.”

“Oh.” Dinah said, correcting her tone, “What is it?”

“Well…” Polybius started, “She, like her older sister and every other Amazon I imagine, is… Oh… too proud to admit when she needs help.”

“From what I’ve seen with those two, that seems like a fair statement.” Dinah agreed, “Why? What’s wrong with her?”

“Well.” Polybius started, “She’s been having recurring nightmares, the first time in a little over a year.”

“How bad?” Dinah asked.

“From what she’s shared with me, it sounds like they went from one a night to now it being all she has when she sleeps.”

“Okay.” Dinah replied.

“And I’m obviously no professional.” Polybius stated, “However, you are. And I also know that you have access to many more resources than I do. And… while she’s gonna hate me for not running it by her first, she needs professional help, and while I love her to death… In my current state, I don’t think I can provide for her what I could the last time this happened. Nor do I think I can provide her with what she needs.”

“No, I completely understand!” Dinah said, “And you are doing the right thing, Polybius. I can offer her a lot of resources you can’t.”

“Still.” Polybius said, “I don’t want to hurt what I have with her. I’m afraid that if you go to her without me there, then it’s gonna be a disaster, which is why I’m hesitant to bring you into this.”

“Polybius, I’m a professional.” Dinah reaffirmed, “Do you think it would be better if you sat in on it?”

“Definitely.” Polybius agreed, “If it’s just you, she’s going to feel cornered and betrayed. But, if I’m there, I think the two of us can tag-team it and reel her in.”

“If you think that would be best.” Dinah said.

“I do.” Polybius said, “And I think it would be best if we were direct and not try to dance around it.”

“Agreed.” Dinah said, “And of course, nothing leaves the three of us.”

“Of course!” Polybius said, “I’ve been holding back on a lot for years. Trust me, I can keep a secret.”

“I know you can.” Dinah agreed, “Well, then I’m off to find her, and I’ll bring her here.”

“Thanks Mom.” Polybius said as his mother turned to leave, “I just hope she’ll forgive me.”

“I’m sure she will.” Dinah assured him, “She may need a little time, but she will.”

As the two wrapped up their conversation meanwhile, Donna and Artemis finally reached Artemis’s room after nearly running into Kid Flash twice. However, they were able to dodge him and make it there, thanks to Miss Martian, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“I hate leaving Polybius like that.” Donna said as the door shut.

“Well, I trust Polybius’s judgment.” Artemis said, “And I’m sure he’ll be fine without you for a little bit.”

“Still…” Donna said, “I kinda feel like I’m abandoning him.”

“No you’re not!” Artemis said, “What makes you think that!?”

“It’s a long story.” Donna said as she and Artemis took a seat on the foot of the bed.

“Well, we’ve got plenty of time.” Artemis said, “So tell me! How did you and Polybius get together?”

“Oh! We’re not a couple!” Donna quickly defended.

“Yeah, right!” Artemis countered, “You guys have everything there for one!”

“It’s actually more complicated than that.” Donna corrected, “Way more.”

“I’m sure it is.” Artemis brushed off, not believing her.

Before Donna could respond, a knock on the door stopped her from doing so. When Artemis answered it, she was surprised to see Black Canary standing there.

“There you are!” Canary said, looking at Donna, “I was looking for you!”

“You are?” Wonder Girl asked.

“I am.” Canary confirmed, “Do you mind if we can get a word in private?”

“Go ahead!” Artemis said, “Just so long as we hide her from Wally. That’s what Polybius wanted to do.”

“I know.” Canary questioned, “However, I was hoping that you, myself and Polybius could have a little group chat first.” Canary said.

“Then let’s go!” Donna said.

It didn’t take long for the two to reach Polybius’s room. Once there, they found that they had beaten Kid Flash to Polybius and made sure to close the door behind them and lock it.

“Alright.” Donna started, “What do you want to talk about?”

“I was actually hoping this could be a little update session.” Dinah said, “Just get an idea of how you two are doing. Making sure you guys are in better places than you were.”

“Oh, you want to relive those times?” Polybius asked.

“We don’t have to talk about that.” Dinah corrected, “But, I would like to see how you two are doing. I know it’s been a long time since all of that went down, but it can come back.”

“And it sorta has lately.” Donna started as she took a seat on the foot of Polybius’s bed, “At least, for me.”

“What’s going on?” Dinah asked, taking up a much softer tone than before.

“Well…” Donna started, “It started right around the time Polybius got his new job. I had a nightmare about what happened, and they’ve started getting worse.”

“And more frequent!” Polybius added.

“That too.” Donna said, “And I don’t know why this is happening. It’s honestly scaring me.”

“Can you think of anything that might have set that off?” Dinah asked.

“No.” Donna replied, “It just happened. I went to sleep for the night, and it happened.”

“Probably something happened subconsciously.” Polybius piped in, “I mean, it happens to me every now and then.”

“And how long do they usually last for you?” Dinah asked.

“A month at the longest.” Polybius said, “However, she says hers are getting worse, which is what I really wanted to bring you in here about.”

“You told her?” Donna asked, looking over at Polybius.

“That right, there is professional help.” Polybius said, pointing at his adoptive mother, “Better than what I could give you.”

“Polybius!” Donna said, a hint of anger in her voice.

“Donna, please.” Dinah said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “Polybius is very worried about you. He wants you to get better and what is best for you. I can help you in ways he can’t.”

“I know!” Donna said, “But I wish you would have run that by me first!”

“You would have said ‘no.’” Polybius countered, “And don’t tell me you wouldn’t because I know you well enough to know that you would have!”

Donna felt her anger grow.

“Donna, please!” Dinah said, trying to calm her, “You don’t have to tell me the whole story, or any of it for that matter. But I can at least give you advice on how to properly deal with those dreams, as well as provide you resources he can’t. He just wants what is best for you.”

“I know!” Donna said, failing to hide her anger, “Just wish you would have at least told me so I at least wouldn’t have gotten blindsided by this.”

“Look, I knew that if I told you, you would have argued with me.” Polybius explained, “And I’m not going to argue with you on what’s best for you. I know from personal experience that sometimes, you need someone else to say something for you. And I was afraid that if you only confided in me that you were having nightmares about that stuff, that I wouldn’t be able to properly help you. So I decided to get some advice, and we agreed that this was the best thing for you.”

Donna let out a frustrated sigh.

“Look, I know I sorta betrayed your trust, I get that.” Polybius went on, “But please, Donna, I’m really worried about you. And I don’t want to see you end up broken or worse.”

Donna looked over at him. She stared at him for a brief moment before responding.

“Or worse?” Donna asked.

“We are not going back there.” Polybius said, “I don’t care how mad you get at me! We fought too hard and too long to pull you out of that freaking hole! However, because of my current physical condition, and the fact that I can’t just get up and go, is what makes me nervous.”

“I’m not there!” Donna countered.

“Not yet.” Polybius corrected.

“Ugh!” Donna let out angrily, “Who are you gonna tell next!? Huh!?”

“No one.” Polybius stated, “I told her because she is a trained professional. She went to school for dealing with this. Hell, she has a degree!”

“But you told someone!” Donna said.

“I’m not going to apologize for doing what I believe is right.” Polybius affirmed, “You need help, Donna. And I just can’t provide what you need in my current condition.”

Donna then turned away from Polybius, prompting Dinah to move in.

“I know you’re upset, Donna.” Dinah started, “But, there is a level of confidentiality that I am legally obligated to uphold. Everything that you tell me, aside from thoughts of hurting yourself or others, doesn’t leave us. We don’t even have to include Polybius in these conversations if you don’t want him there. It’s all up to you.”

“Is that true?” Donna asked, “The confidentiality part?”

“One hundred percent.” Dinah said.

“So Diana won’t find out?” Donna followed up.

“Not unless you tell her.” Dinah assured her.

Donna looked away from everybody and at the wall of the room. She thought about what Polybius and Dinah were saying and felt mixed emotions about it all.

“Donna.” Polybius spoke up, “Don’t feel like I’m pushing you off to someone else, that’s not what I’m doing here. But I honestly feel like what I’m doing is ineffective.”

When Polybius said that, this prompted Donna to turn and look at him. She had a slightly confused look on her face as part of her anger vanished with it.

“What?” Donna questioned, not sure if she heard it right.

“I mean, hear me out.” Polybius said, “I feel… I feel like we go through this enough for it to be a serious recurring issue. And if this incident with my near-death injury has taught me anything, it’s that I’m gonna die at some point while you live. What I don’t want to happen is to let this build-up, and then for me to finally bite the dust and leave you all alone. When I finally die, whenever that may be, I want to make sure that this isn’t an issue and that you are fully healed from it, so you don’t become overwhelmed with emotions and hurt yourself.”

Donna let out a long sigh and looked down.

“You know I’m right.” Polybius stated, “Donna, please, hate me for the rest of time, I don’t care! But I care about you too much to sit by and let you wallow in misery. You need professional help, so, please! I don’t care if you don’t want me to be a part of these conversations, but at least talk.”

Donna then let a long and dreadful moment of silence fill the room as both Polybius and Dinah waited to see what she would say and do. 

“Fine.” Donna said, “I’ll… talk.”

“Yes!” Polybius cheered.

“But Diana can’t find out about this!” Donna piped up.

“She won’t.” Dinah assured her.

“Good.” Donna said, “Can we, uh, go somewhere else, please?”

“Sure!” Dinah said, “We’ll clear out a room and get more comfortable.”

“Thank you.” Donna said as she stood up.

With that, the two females exited the room, leaving Polybius alone. However, this didn’t last long as Kid Flash finally decided to turn up at Polybius’s door.

“Hey, hey, hey…” Kid Flash started, clearly expecting to see a female in the room, and disappointing to only find Polybius.

“What up?” Polybius replied.

“Nothing much.” Kid Flash tried to play off, “Just stopping by, seeing how you were doing.”

“Oh really?” Polybius asked.

“Yeah.” Kid Flash replied.

“You sure you’re not out prowling for women?” Polybius asked.

“What!?” Kid Flash asked, “No! I mean, usually yes, but I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay after your injury.”

“Man, cut the crap.” Polybius said, “I don’t have the patience for it.”

“Aw, what!?” Kid Flash asked, “I can’t stand to see you hurt, man!”

“Can you?” Polybius asked, “Afterall, it is you who is spearheading the charge to get rid of me!”

Kid Flash went silent when those words hit him as he realized just how much trouble he was in. He gulped nervously and a nervous laugh before he kept talking.

“Get rid of you!?” Kid Flash asked, “Never!”

“I’ve already been told.” Polybius corrected, “Don’t lie to my face because I’m not stupid, Kid Flirt.”

Kid Flash’s mind began racing for a way to wiggle himself out of his situation. However, Polybius’s mind moved faster and kept him in check.

“So!” Polybius started, “I already know you came here looking for Wonder Girl. Wondering if she’s as good looking in person as she is on TV, right?”

“N- No!” Kid Flash nervously denied, betraying his attempt to lie.

“Didn’t I just ask you not to lie to me?” Polybius question, his tone now very stern.

Kid Flash again gulped nervously but failed to respond verbally to Polybius.

“Well, Kid Flirt, let me start by asking you to do one thing for me.” Polybius started.

“What is it?” Kid Flash asked.

“Don’t flirt with Wonder Girl.” Polybius ordered, “It was bad enough when you tried to get my mother to commit statutory rape, but don’t you even think about it with Wonder Girl!”

“W- Why?” Kid Flash asked nervously.

“Because she’s… She’s had extremely bad experiences with guys.” Polybius half lied.

“Bad experiences?” Kid Flash asked.

“Yeah!” Polybius affirmed, “Don’t get me wrong, I love her to death, but holy fuck does she somehow managed to get catfished in the worst way.”

“Catfished in the worst way?” Kid Flash asked.

“Her first and second boyfriends turned out to be people hired to try and kill her.” Polybius lied, “This has led her to not being able to deal with flirting all that well because she subconsciously thinks that the person flirting with her is gonna try and hurt her. And this results in her going into a rather dark place. So I’m gonna ask you to keep it all on the down-low for me.”

“Of course!” Kid Flash said, “As much as I love the babes, I don’t wanna hurt them! But that’s alright! My natural charm will reel her in.”

“Charm?” Polybius questioned.

“Yes sir!” Kid Flash said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find Megalicious and see if she’s making any more cookies!”

Before Polybius could say anything, Kid Flash ran off as fast as he could away from Polybius. This prompted the injured man to just roll his eyes and groan.

“Freaking idiot.” Polybius muttered.

However, Polybius couldn’t catch a break as it wasn’t long after Kid Flash left, Aqualad knocked on his door.

“Come in!” Polybius shouted right before he began drinking a bottle of water.

“Greetings.” Aqualad said, “I hear you offer good advice.”

“Then clearly I’ve got a good rep on the streets.” Polybius stated, “What is it I can help you with?”

“Well, to be honest, I was hoping for leadership advice.” Aqualad admitted.

“Well you certainly came to the right person then!” Polybius said, “I used to be in charge of a very small group of people, so I can certainly help!”

“Thank you.” Aqualad said.

“No problem!” Polybius said.

As the two began talking about leadership; meanwhile, Irene scrolled through the news on her computer. However, she wasn’t reading anything but was thinking about what her old friend Claudia had advised her to do.

“Where would I even find someone stupid enough to volunteer for that?” Irene questioned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this Chapter. Don't be afraid to let me know what you think of it, and as always, have a good one!


	11. Chapter 11: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinah and Donna sit down to have a conversation without Polybius present. After talking for a while, Dinah deduces what is wrong with Donna, despite the fact that Donna left out almost all of the details. Dinah attempts to get her to talk more about it, and Donna reveals several weaknesses she has, and how she only feels comfortable exposing them around only Polybius. And how she doesn't feel comfortable exposing them to anyone else, even Diana as she's afraid of how both other people and she herself will see her. This eventually leads to Donna finally breaking down and crying.
> 
> Meanwhile, Polybius is given a surprise visit from Diana. Knowing what was going on, Polybius distracts Diana, recalling the fun the two had in the past, specially talking about her birthday surprise. This reveals that Diana is far more lenient with Polybius than she is with just about anyone else as the two were in the midst of a prank war. Diana assures him that once he is recovered, she will get him back.
> 
> Eventually, Donna returns to Polybius and has a short conversation with him where Polybius ends up reassuring her yet again that he has her back no matter what.

_Chapter 11_

_Post Traumatic Stress Disorder..._

Donna sat quietly and awkwardly in her chair. She had mixed emotions at that moment; however, the most prevalent one was nervousness, closely followed by anger. The former because she had no idea how to handle this situation and, while she wouldn't admit it, was a little scared and intimidated by it. On the other hand, she also felt a great deal of anger towards Polybius as she wished he wouldn't have told anyone. She hated the idea of more people knowing that she wasn't as strong and powerful as she liked to portray herself as. She only felt comfortable exposing her weaker and more vulnerable side to a select group of people, and Dinah was not one of them.

Glancing up for a moment, Donna looked at Dinah was finishing her prep. She had gotten a clipboard, paper, and a pen on their way here. She had locked the door behind the two of them to avoid having wandering eyes and ears drop by the room and hear and see things they really didn't need to.

"Alright." Dinah started, "Are you comfortable?"

"No." Donna quietly and quickly answered.

"Is there anything I can do to make you comfortable?" Dinah asked.

"I don't know." Donna answered, maintaining her quiet tone, "Maybe not do this."

"Donna, it's alright." Dinah said, "I know just how hard and difficult asking for help can be."

"I didn't ask for this." Donna countered.

"I know." Dinah said, "And I know you're upset with Polybius."

"Upset?" Donna asked, her tone now picking up anger as she clenched her fists, "Try furious!"

"Because he told me?" Dinah asked.

"Yes!" Donna answered.

"And why do you not like that he told me?" Dinah followed up.

"Because-" Donna started but cut herself off as she didn't want to reveal too much information about herself and her situation.

"Because you don't want me to see you as weak?" Dinah asked.

"That's part of it!" Donna admitted, "It's just- ugh! Why did he have to tell you!?"

"Because he's worried about you." Dinah answered.

"I know he is!" Donna said, "He always is! But he's always been able to help me before! Why bring you in now!? It's just nightmares! I've had these before, and they'll go away!"

"Polybius told me this is a recurring issue." Dinah pointed out.

"They come and go like day and night." Donna explained, "And if I ever feel bad, I just call him, and he always knows what to say."

"So you're dependent on him?" Dinah asked but phrased it more as a statement.

"No!" Donna countered, "Maybe… I don't know."

"Well then, let's do a little thought exercise." Dinah started.

"Okay." Donna said.

"Let's say, just for the sake of this scenario, Polybius dies right now." Dinah said.

"What!?" Donna asked, shocked to hear that, "How?"

"The 'how' is not important." Dinah said, "What is important is you are still having these nightmares, but this time, you don't have Polybius to turn to. What would you do?"

"I… I don't know what I would do." Donna admitted, all of the anger vanishing from her tone, "I really don't know."

"And that's Polybius's point." Dinah started.

"What?" Donna asked, confused about where this was going, "I don't understand."

"As we both know, in the recent attack on Mount Justice, Polybius nearly died from blood loss. What he's trying to get at is he isn't always going to be around for you when you need him. He acknowledges the fact that he is going to die someday and leave you alone. And what he's afraid of happening is that when he is gone, you'll go off the deep end and end up hurting yourself or others, or may even try to commit suicide."

Donna sat in silence as she listened to Dinah speak. The words were undoubtedly hitting her hard, and she quickly found herself fighting tears.

"What Polybius wants you to do is to roll off of your dependence on him and get more comfortable opening up to others. However, he knows that you won't do it on your own and decided to take the initiative and start it for you." Dinah explained.

Donna looked down at the ground and didn't say anything.

"That's what Polybius was trying to tell you." Dinah added, "However, you weren't listening to him. But I know he is thrilled that you decided to at least listen and talk to me, and it's okay that you are upset with him."

Dinah then leaned forward and put a hand on Donna's knee in an attempt to comfort her. Donna didn't initially react to this as she wanted to curl up in a ball and die at that moment. She desperately wanted to escape the situation she was in, but something was keeping her in place. She didn't know what, but there was something inside her that was keeping her planted in her seat at that moment.

"So please, talk to me." Dinah begged, "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. And not a word of what we say will leave this room, and will stay between us."

Donna didn't respond immediately as she thought about whether or not to open up. On the one hand, she didn't want to reveal her weakness to anyone. She wanted to keep it all to herself. On the other hand, however, she knew that Polybius was right. She knew that he only wanted what was best for her and had always acted in a way that achieved the best results.

And the more she thought about it, the more she realized she had trusted his judgment for years, and he had never been wrong or hurt her before. Then she wondered why she was ignoring him now? And if this is what Polybius believed was best for her, then she too would go along with it.

"Everything stays between us?" Donna asked.

"Just us." Dinah assured her, "The only reason I will say anything to anyone else is if you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others."

"I understand." Donna said, now looking up at Dinah, "Polybius has always been right so far and has never led me astray so far. It'd be stupid of me to ignore him now."

Dinah smiled at the young heroine and leaned back in her chair.

"So, where would you like to start?" Dinah asked.

"Where to start is an excellent question." Donna said, "There's so much."

"Then let's start with what's the most pressing issue is right now." Dinah said, "Your recurring nightmares."

"Those." Donna said, not happy about talking about them.

"Remember, nothing leaves us." Dinah assured her.

Donna took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she began speaking.

"All of them are about what Polybius called 'the trials.'" Donna started.

"Polybius hasn't told me much about them." Dinah said, "However, he did say that they were a really rough time."

"That's an understatement." Donna said, "Those were the worst six months of my life."

"And in your nightmares, are you reliving them?" Dinah asked.

"Yes." Donna admitted, "I can remember much of it like it happened yesterday. I swear, if it hadn't been for Polybius, I wouldn't have survived."

"And when you remember these 'trials,' do they pop up randomly during the day as well?" Dinah asked, "As in, you're just doing something, and something happens, and you have a flashback or an intrusive memory?"

"The latter." Donna said, "I've got to be careful of what I watch on TV because it can cause those memories to come up."

"And when these memories pop up, what do you do?" Dinah asked.

"I try to remove myself from the situation." Donna explained, "Like one time, I was with Diana at a movie, and a scene came up not too long after we got back from the 'trials.' There was a scene in that movie that just got me going really bad. I used the excuse of having the need to use the restroom, but I never went back to the movie."

"What did you do?" Dinah asked.

"I hid away in one of the stalls." Donna said, "I locked myself in, and…"

Donna trailed off as she thought about that night. To her, it felt like someone was plunging a knife through her lower abdomen just thinking about it. She moved a hand to where she was feeling it, and Dinah noted this.

"And?" Dinah asked, trying to get her to open up.

"I… I cried." Donna admitted, tears now starting to escape and run down her face, "I remember I cried for at least fifteen minutes before I finally decided to try and call Polybius."

Donna wiped the tears away from her face as she felt a spike of anger surge through her.

"Why am I like this!?" Donna asked herself, "Why am I so weak!? Why did I allow any of that to happen to me!?"

"Donna, it's alright." Dinah assured her, "You're not weak. You are a very strong young woman."

"That's what Polybius tells me." Donna said, "Now I see where he gets it from."

"Because he's right." Dinah said, "Donna, I don't know what you've been through, but for the bits and pieces I've gathered between you and Polybius, I know it was rough. And for you to have pulled through that and gotten so much better is amazing! And that's an understatement."

"But why do I feel weak?" Donna asked.

"Does it have to do with the fact that you're an Amazon?" Dinah asked.

"What does me being an Amazon have to do with anything?" Donna asked.

"From what Diana has shared with me, Amazons are a proud and prideful people. They like to see themselves as independent and self-reliant, and don't need help from others, especially men." Dinah explained, "Do you feel like you're not fulfilling this?"

"I never was." Donna said, "I mean, look at me! I'm so weak that if I lose Polybius, a man, that's it for me. I'm supposed to be a strong, independent woman who doesn't need a man. But here I am, totally reliant on one. I am the biggest disappointment to the Amazon nation to ever disgrace them."

"You are no disappointment." Dinah assured her, "Look at yourself! You've taken up one of the most noble causes you can possibly take up."

"I know." Donna said.

"And I don't see how you could be disappointing at all with that." Dinah added.

"Well… That's not all." Donna admitted, "There are… other reasons why I- I don't feel like an Amazon."

A visible wave of nervousness washed over her, and Dinah could see the pain in her eyes. Donna was clearly on the verge of breaking down, but also providing a possible breakthrough.

"No." Donna spoke up, "I don't want to talk about that!"

"That's fine." Dinah assured her, "You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."

"I can't." Donna kept going, "I can't talk about that."

Donna wiped away another tear from her face as Dinah jotted down some notes. When Dinah looked up, she was surprised to see that Donna was silently sobbing. She tried to hide her face from Dinah with her hands and had turned away.

This prompted Dinah to stand up and move to comfort her by putting an arm around her.

"Hey, it's alright." Dinah assured her, "You're safe, and there's no shame in crying. Let it all out."

As Donna cried and Dinah comforted her meanwhile, Polybius was left alone in his room, twiddling his thumbs as he had quickly grown tired of staring at his phone screen. He didn't worry about the conversation his mother and best friend were having as he trusted his mother to get through to Donna. He expected that if Donna opened up, she could finally get the real help she needed.

What Polybius was not expecting, however, was a knock at his door so soon after they left.

"Come in!" Polybius shouted.

When the door opened, Polybius was taken off guard when he saw Diana. He didn't expect her, and it was not like her to drop in unannounced.

"Hello Polybius." Diana greeted.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Polybius returned in a happy tone, "How can I help you?"

"I was looking for Donna." Diana said, "I was hoping to talk to her about something I've been meaning to talk to her about for a while now."

Polybius then realized what he had to do.

"Oh, well, she's currently out right now." Polybius half lied.

"Out?" Diana asked.

"Oh, I asked for some food!" Polybius lied, "So she went to go pick some up."

"Do you know where she went?" Diana asked.

"Nope." Polybius answered, lying again, "But she will come back here sooner or later."

"Alright." Diana said, "I guess it can wait. It's not all that important, after all."

"Oh good." Polybius said, "She's, well, she's had a rough day."

"Oh?" Diana questioned.

"Yeah." Polybius said, "Not sure why, I suppose it's just one of those days, you know."

"I know." Diana assured him, "Well, I hope she feels better soon. I'd hate to see her get upset."

"You and me both." Polybius agreed.

"Well, I had better get going." Diana said.

"Aw!" Polybius groaned, "Leaving me already!"

"You want me to stay?" Diana asked.

"Well you never visit me anymore!" Polybius accused.

"Well I'm sorry I'm so busy." Diana said, "You know I would if I had more time."

"Sure…" Polybius brushed off, "You're just mad because of how good I got you on your birthday!"

What had long ago started as an accident had now turned into a full-blown, albeit playful, prank war between the two. Nobody was really sure how Polybius managed to do it, but somehow, he could bring out the playful and somewhat naughty side of Diana like no one else. The two had an incredibly unique and special friendship that was always full of laughs. Polybius even made Steve Trevor a tad bit jealous with just how hard he could make Diana laugh.

"I've still gotta get you for that one, don't I?" Diana asked.

"Burh, I don't think you can top it!" Polybius countered.

On Diana's last birthday earlier in the year, Polybius hired nine male strippers to dress up in Wonder Woman costumes and pay her a private surprise visit. Needless to say, Diana got very angry and even more embarrassed. Not only that, but he also got the whole thing on camera, which made it so much better.

"Gosh, I don't think I've ever seen you get more embarrassed by something than that!" Polybius laughed.

What made it even better was that Polybius also bought himself a Wonder Woman costume, dressed up in it, and danced with the strippers to top it off. And, of course, he made sure to get very close to Diana during their surprise dance/stripping raid.

"Your face was redder as your fucking uniform." Polybius laughed at the memory.

"By the gods, you're lucky I like you so much." Diana warned, also letting out a small laugh, "Had that come from just about anyone else, they'd be dead. But you… I honestly expect nothing less."

"Good!" Polybius laughed.

"But you're still horrible for doing that!" Diana added.

"It was so worth it!" Polybius said, "Best five hundred bucks I've ever spent!"

"Oh yeah, well, you just wait." Diana warned, "I've got something even worse in store for you."

"Well, at least don't kick me while I'm down." Polybius asked, "Wait until I'm at least moving around on my own first."

"Of course." Diana said, "Wouldn't be much fun if I didn't get to see you run away."

"Like the freaking rat, I am?" Polybius asked.

"Yes." Diana agreed.

As the two shared laughs, meanwhile, Dinah was finally reeling Donna back in from her cry. Donna was finally able to pull herself together and wipe away the last of her tears.

"Do you want to continue?" Dinah asked.

"Y- Yes." Donna muttered.

"Alright." Dinah said, "If this gets too hard, or you want to stop, just let me know, okay?"

"Okay." Donna replied.

"Alright." Dinah said as she took her seat across from Donna, "So, you have recurring nightmares, feel extremely guilty, and have very negative beliefs about yourself… That sounds like you have PTSD."

"PTSD?" Donna questioned.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Dinah explained, "It's actually quite common in the hero world as a lot of the things we see and go through, if not treated properly, can turn into PTSD."

"Can it go away?" Donna asked.

"Sorta, but it requires therapy." Dinah said, "We have a couple different options as to how we can approach it."

"Okay." Donna said, "What are they?"

"Well, the first option we have is Cognitive Processing Therapy." Dinah started, "What we'll do is, once a week, we'll sit down for sixty to ninety minutes, and you'll talk about your experiences and how it's affected you. From there, we'll discuss ways you can learn to live both with and around it."

"Okay…" Donna replied, not really a huge fan of that, "What else?"

"Another option we have is Prolonged Exposure Therapy." Dinah explained, "Since it seems that you tend to avoid things that remind you of those traumatic events, what we'll do is start by having you make a list of all of the things you avoid. From there, we will slowly work on exposing you to them, during which I'll teach you breathing techniques, as well as other methods to control your anxiety while facing them."

"Alright." Donna said, "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure how comfortable I am talking about what happened."

"That's alright." Dinah assured her, "If you don't want to talk about it, we can also try Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. In this, you don't have to tell me what happened. Instead, what you'll do is you'll think about the traumatic event and then try and force yourself to focus on what I'm doing, with the ultimate end goal being for you to teach yourself how to bring out positive thoughts while you're dealing with these negative thoughts."

"Okay…" Donna said, "Is there anything else?"

"Well, another option is Stress Inoculation Training." Dinah explained, "Here, you don't have to go into detail about what happened. Instead, it's more focused on changing the way you deal with the stress from those situations. This one is also focused on teaching different techniques on how to deal with the stress, like breathing techniques. You could even do this one by yourself."

"Alright." Donna said.

"One method that I personally like is Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy." Dinah explained, "In this one, it's centered around relaxation skills, as well as reframing your negative thoughts. While it is only intended for one event, I've modified it a little to help deal with more than one event if that's what you need. And while in this one, you will be asked to talk about it, and I'll have you bring in things that remind you of it. On top of that, you'll also write letters to whomever you think is responsible, aside from yourself, for the cause of the trauma. However, my favorite part of not only this one, but all the PTSD treatment I assist with is at the end, where you'll hold a little farewell ritual and say goodbye to the trauma forever!"

Instead of verbally responding, Donna let out a long sigh. She thought about what Dinah had proposed to her before she said anything.

"I don't know." Donna stated.

"I know that was a lot of information to swallow." Dinah said, "But I promise you, we can get through it. We can have weekly sessions where it can be you and me, or you, me and Polybius, or you and Polybius, or just you. We can do whatever makes you comfortable and get you through this."

"Thank you." Donna said, "But I need some time to think about this."

"That's alright." Dinah said as she tore off a piece of paper and wrote down her cellphone number, "Here."

Donna took the paper and examined it.

"That's my work phone." Dinah explained, "If you ever need to call or text me at any time, go ahead. I will try to answer as fast as I can."

"Thank you." Donna repeated as she plugged the number into her phone.

"It's not a problem." Dinah assured her with a smile, "It's what I do."

With that, the two finished up their therapy session. Donna decided to go wash her face first to get rid of the tear trails that were on her face to try and hide the fact she had just balled her eyes out.

As she did this, she thought about what Polybius was doing for her. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew he was right. She was incredibly dependent on him and needed to learn how to deal with this without him. She knew that she couldn't keep going on like she had been.

However, what troubled her the most was thinking about what she would have done if Polybius had been killed. She knew it would have been the likely end of her, and she would not have recovered from it. It would have likely ended up in her either committing suicide or getting caught trying to do so because she had no idea how to deal with her negative thoughts independently.

Forcing herself to push that aside, she decided that she needed to both consult, but more importantly, apologize to Polybius.

Walking down the hall, she found Polybius alone in his room.

"Donna!" Polybius happily greeted her when he saw her as he always did, "How's my favorite person in the world!?"

"I'm fine." Donna lied as she closed the door behind herself, "Look, Polybius, I want to apologize for earlier."

"It's alright." Polybius waved off.

"Wait." Donna said, "You're not mad?"

"I never was." Polybius said, "I just want what's best for you. Even if you don't like it."

"Thank you, Polybius." Donna said, "You're always looking out for me. Worrying about me. It's reassuring to know that someone cares this much."

"A lot of people do!" Polybius said, "I mean, shoot! Diana dropped by earlier looking for you!"

"She did!?" Donna asked, surprised to hear that.

"She did." Polybius confirmed, "Now don't worry. I lied to her and told her that you were getting me food and that I had no idea when you'd be back. She has no idea of what you were doing or what's going on because I know she's one of the last people you want to know about this."

"Thanks." Donna said.

"Don't mention it!" Polybius said, "You just focus on getting better."

"Yeah." Donna said, "Dinah gave me a lot to consider."

"About your PTSD?" Polybius asked.

"What!?" Donna asked, "How did you know!? Did she tell you!?"

"I've known you've been dealing with PTSD for a long time." Polybius explained, "She didn't tell me anything about what you two discussed. Hell, I haven't even seen her since you two left."

"Okay." Donna said with a sigh of relief.

"I also dealt with Kid Flirt for you." Polybius said, "He's been told not to get flirty with you, and that if he did, I was gonna beat his ass."

"How?" Donna asked, "You can't even leave your bed right now?"

"I can freaking crawl!" Polybius countered, "And I'll sneak up on him when he's least expecting it! Come up behind him with a baseball bat, and BAM! Hit him in the back of the head!"

"Well, I'd doubt you'd catch him." Donna said.

"He may be physically fast, but his mind certainly doesn't keep up." Polybius pointed out, "And that's how I'll get him. Just outsmart him easily!

"If you say so." Donna said.

"I know so." Polybius said, "But regardless, you focus on you. I won't be able to rest at peace until you get better, Donna."

"I will." Donna said, "I might have you join me in my therapy sessions as a support person."

"That's fine." Polybius said, "I'll do whatever you want to help you get better. If you want me there, great! If not, also great! If you want me there for part of it, still great! Just say the word!"

"Thank you, Polybius." Donna said, "I'm fortunate to have you."

"You right!" Polybius agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 11! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and as always have a good one!
> 
> Also! Please! If you or someone you know is having any problems with PTSD, or any other mental illness for that matter, please seek help! There are a lot of people out there who are willing to help you, all you have to do is say the word.


	12. Chapter 12: No Breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Halloween night, after conducting their first test with a prototype, Irene and Chief Z have mixed feelings about the test results. Chief Z expresses his desire to do a retrial with a new candidate before their conversation devolves.
> 
> Meanwhile, at the Cave, after the Team leaves to do their Halloween activates, and Donna leaving to go do some with her friends, this leaves Polybius alone for the first time in a long while. However, this doesn't last long when two people reveal themselves to be kidnappers. Polybius, who is wheelchair bound, doesn't initially believe he is in any danger, as he suspected this was another Halloween prank. However, he realizes that this was an actual kidnapping far too late, and is taken to an unknown location.
> 
> Once they get there, Polybius talks to his kidnappers, and oddly enough, encourages them to hang onto him for awhile, expressing his desire to get away. While they find this weird, they don't question it.

_Chapter 12_

_No Breaks..._

Irene wasn’t sure of what to make of the results. While they were certainly disappointing, they admittedly exceeded her expectations, as well as those of her counterpart, Chief Z.

“I really don’t understand this.” Irene commented as she looked over the test results again.

Irene had decided to listen to Claudia and try things out with an organic brain with the new weapon system they were building. They were able to find a willing volunteer to be tested on and integrated them into the system successfully.

“I think we used the wrong candidate.” Chief Z pointed out.

“What?” Irene questioned.

“Well, I mean, the person we chose is a very strong and vocal advocate for pacifism.” Chief Z explained, “He is very anti-war and all that nonsense.”

“You think he sabotaged himself or the project?” Irene asked.

“No.” Chief Z countered, “I think his natural lack of violent tendencies and an even greater lack of both training and experience led to this failure.”

“So you think if we got somebody else to do this, we’d be better off?” Irene asked.

“I think we had better luck with a robot brain.” Chief Z stated, “Seriously, where did you get this idea from?”

“I ran into my ex, Claudia, not that long ago, and she threw that idea out there.” Irene said.

“Wait, Claudia?” Chief Z asked, “Ex?”

“Things didn’t end badly between us!” Irene said, “Honestly, I think we’d still be together if it weren’t for our jobs.”

“Wait, I thought she was straight!” Chief Z said, “I mean, wasn’t it just a few months ago everybody was talking about how she dumped Mat?”

“She’s bi!” Irene corrected.

“Oh…” Chief Z said, “You see, I didn’t know that she was bi.”

“We both are!” Irene said.

“Wait, you’re bi too?” Chief Z asked, “I thought you were just gay?”

“Ugh!” Irene let out a long groan, “No, I’ve had boyfriends and girlfriends!”

“Hey, calm down!” Chief Z said.

“It’s not like I hide this either.” Irene said, “I’m bi, and I’m proud!”

“Again, calm down.” Chief Z pleaded, “You know I’m horrible at picking up both chicks and hints.”

“Well, maybe that would explain why you don’t have a girlfriend.” Irene teased.

“Well, maybe I’m gay!” Chief Z returned.

“Dude, I’ve seen what you watch on Pornhub.” Irene slyly stated, “You’re not gay.”

Chief Z was left stumbling over his words, unable to formulate even a single sentence. This caused Irene to laugh.

After being thoroughly embarrassed, Chief Z awkwardly shuffled out of the room. Irene assumed it was so he could go to his personal laptop in his room and wipe his internet search history. That was how she had figured it out in the first place after he had brought it into work one day because his work computer was down.

Shifting her attention to her computer, Irene couldn’t help but think that Chief Z was partially right. If they had a better candidate, she was confident that they could achieve better test results. All she had to do was find the person.

Meanwhile, back in Mount Justice, Polybius was finally getting around on his own more. And while he was happy about that, what he wasn’t happy about was the lack of progress being made on Donna’s situation.

It was now Halloween night; however, not long ago, the Team had been through quite a traumatic experience. And due to how much of a down-low Donna’s situation was kept on, they had effectively taken priority over her.

Despite this, Polybius also knew it wasn’t really their fault. Instead, he was growing more worried and upset with Donna. While her nightmares had finally gone away again, she had yet to sit down with Dinah and have a formal session. He knew that she really didn’t want to face her trauma and understood where she was coming from. However, he knew that for the sake of her health, she had to face this.

But tonight was not going to be the night he confronted her about it. Rather, Polybius had encouraged her to go out and enjoy herself. This resulted in her caving to him, and she was going to be out late with some of her girlfriends.

And with the rest of the Team deciding to do their own various activities to celebrate the night, the cave was going to belong to Polybius as he wasn’t a fan of Halloween. The main reason was seeing people dress up as the superheroes he worked with and considered some family was very off-putting to him. The one that really stuck with him was his first Halloween, where he saw a girl who decided to try and rock a Black Canary costume, even though she was about four hundred pounds too heavy for it.

Polybius shuddered just thinking about it.

Speaking of his mother, she had wanted to drag him along and get him out of the cave, as he had yet to leave since returning from the hospital. However, he declined. Polybius was not all that interested in seeing the flirty side of his mother because, sure enough, Oliver was going to be there as well. And Polybius neither liked seeing and hearing the flirty side of his mother when he was around, nor did he enjoy being their third wheel.

Regardless, Polybius was excited to have some alone time. He had been doing a lot of thinking lately as he wallowed away in his bed. It was mostly of his past and thinking back to both better and worse days. The good times he had with his brothers and sister and the pain he shared with them.

For the first hour of the night, things were quiet and calm. Polybius sat in his room in his wheelchair and went through some of his possessions. He read up on some of the old files he had hidden away in his safe, as well as looking at some of the old pictures he had. And for that hour, he felt a peace despite feeling so much emotional pain during it.

However, a surprise knock on Polybius’s door brought him out of his thoughts and shifted his attention to the door. He was initially extremely confused by it as there shouldn’t have been anyone in the cave. He shouldn’t even be getting harassed by League, for if they weren’t out on patrol, they were holding a little Halloween party upon their Watchtower that Polybius knew about.

“Excuse me?” Polybius whispered to himself as he set down the picture he was looking at.

Polybius waited for a moment to see if the knock would come again. And sure enough, it did.

“Hello!” Polybius called out.

When no answer came, Polybius instinctively reached for the handgun that he kept in the safe. He put everything back in the safe and locked it up tight before investigating.

Polybius knew that no matter what happened, he was at a disadvantage. With him being in a wheelchair, he was permanently on the low ground.

Wheeling over to the door, Polybius angled himself as best he could so he wasn’t directly in the doorway when it opened up. And when he did open the door, he saw that no one was there and that all of the lights in the hall had been shut off except for the one at the end of the hall.

“The hell?” Polybius questioned as he looked down the hallway, “What kind of bad prank is someone trying to pull on me?”

Polybius then heard what sounded like metal hitting the floor.

“Aw hell naw.” Polybius said as he closed the door.

Polybius then wheeled himself back over to his safe. However, before he could open it up, sure enough, there was a knock on his door.

“Oh, you need to piss off.” Polybius grumbled to himself.

Deciding to ignore it, Polybius grabbed his phone and began scrolling through Facebook. This was a mistake as all of his Facebook friends were posting about how much fun they were having on that night, accompanied by a myriad of pictures of them either seeing and/or doing very questionable things.

And as Polybius scrolled, the knocking on his door continued to come and go periodically. He continued to ignore it; however, he was starting to get annoyed by it.

And after ten minutes of repeated knocking, Polybius decided to do something about it. Wheeling himself over to his door again, Polybius got there and opened the door.

“Let somebody knock on this damn door again!” Polybius shouted into the hall as he began waving his gun in the air, “You gon get shot the hell up!”

Polybius closed the door again, and this time, sat and waited. He sat and was daring whoever was ding dong ditching him to do it again.

And sure enough, another knock came. Polybius was quick on the release with the door but was surprised to see no one there.

“Oh….” Polybius said, realizing what was going on, “Diana got a crew in on this now!”

Polybius then remember a few weeks ago when Diana had told him she had something big in store for him to top off what he had done to her on her birthday. This led him to believe that she was trying to pull a major prank to get him back.

Putting his handgun back into his safe, Polybius knew he didn’t need it. They weren’t gonna actually hurt him, just try and unnerve him.

“Okay!” Polybius mockingly shouted down the hall, “Oh no! There’s a mysterious knocking on my door! Whatever will I do!? Oh, I know! I’ll go be the Scooby-Doo gang and go check this out! I hope nothing bad happens to me, like a scary monster jumping out of the dark! I really hope it does not try to murder me!”

Polybius then wheeled himself down the hall towards the training room. Once there, he found all of the lights on and the handful of Halloween decorations the Team had decided to put up.

“You know what, I changed my mind.” Polybius declared, “Alright, look y’all, I don’t play this Halloween bullshit! Now whoever the hell keeps knocking on my damn door needs to knock it the hell off!”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The feminine voice came up from behind him.

Looking back, Polybius saw a green-skinned woman with red hair come walking out of the shadows. Her clothing reminded Polybius of leaves, and she was also accompanied by several large vines.

“Ha, ha, ha!” Polybius laughed, “Honey, who are you, the ghost of Mountain Dews past? Ha, ha! You here to show me all the Mountain Dews I’ve had, and how I don’t appreciate them enough?”

“What, no!” The lady returned.

“Wait! Burh! Oh shit! I know what’s going on!” Polybius declared, “You’re gonna give me one of dem rings so I can be the next Green Lantern! While I probably won’t use it responsibly, just give it to me, hun! I promise I won’t let you down!”

“I’m not that person either!” The lady said, “We’re here to kidnap you!”

“Oh shit! Where we gon go?” Polybius asked, “With how you dressed, we going to the strip club, ain’t we! Come on! Let’s go! Let’s go!”

“I’m not-” The lady started but cut herself off from getting too angry, “No! We’re going somewhere where they won’t find you?”

“A dirty locker?” Polybius asked, “Cause you look like the stench from a locker!”

“That’s it!” The lady shouted, “I’m not some dirty, nasty stripper! I’m Poison Ivy!”

“Wait.” Polybius said, “Weren’t you like, just arrested a few weeks ago? How are you here?”

“Cause I busted her out!” Another feminine voice declared.

Looking over, Polybius saw Harley Quinn come out from behind the decorations with a huge mallet.

“Wait.” Polybius said, still in a playful mood, not believing he was in any actual danger, “If she’s the ghost of Mountain Dews past, then are the ghost of white powdered red velvet cake’s past?”

“Oh, now I could go for some cake!” Harley stated.

“Focus!” Ivy shouted, “We’re here to kidnap him! Remember!”

“Oh yeah!” Harley piped up, “Wait, who are you again?”

“Me?” Polybius asked, “I’m Polybius.”

“Polybius?” Harley questioned, “That name doesn’t ring any bells.”

“Well they should have warned you two about me.” Polybius stated, “Cause I do not care that you two are females. I’ll slap the hell out of both of you.”

“Good luck with that!” Ivy taunted.

Hearing movement behind him, Polybius looked back to see vines heading right for him, too fast for him to make an effort to dodge them.

“Oh shoot!” Polybius laughed, “I’m actually in danger.”

Polybius then felt the vines begin to wrap around him and his chair.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey!” Polybius shouted, causing Ivy to stop.

“What!?” Ivy demanded, anger high in her voice.

“Please, mind the leg.” Polybius pointed to his bad leg, “I’m trying to surprise everyone by walking on the first day of winter instead of Christmas like I promised.”

“You think I care-” Ivy started but was cut off by Harley.

“Oh, please mind his leg!” Harley begged, “I like him! He’s funny!”

“Thank you!” Polybius called out.

“Fine!” Ivy grumbled.

The vines then began moving, and Polybius chuckled and said, “I’m in danger.”

Polybius didn’t actually think he was in any danger. He assumed this was a prank by Wonder Woman and a few other Leaguers she got to help her. Even as the real Poison Ivy strapped him to his seat with the vines, and the real Harley Quinn watched on.

“Let’s get outta here before anybody shows up!” Harley said as she ran up and put a bag over his head.

As the two made their getaway with the crippled Polybius meanwhile, Claudia looked over at her calendar.

“Halloween?” Claudia questioned herself, “Can’t say I remember the last time I celebrated that.”

Claudia then looked away from her calendar back at her desk. She was both physically and mentally exhausted. Several empty cans of various energy drinks lay scattered around the room as Claudia fought to keep herself awake to continue her work.

However, instead of going back to work, she let out a long sigh and pulled out her phone. She opened her camera and looked at her face.

“I look horrible.” Claudia said as she looked at the baggage under her eyes, “Maybe some makeup wouldn’t kill me.”

Turning off her phone and tossing it to the side, Claudia let out a huge yawn.

“Or maybe I’m missing something.” Claudia also said to herself.

Claudia then looked over at the mini-fridge she kept in her office. She reached over and opened it intending to grab another energy drink.

“Dang it!” Claudia said when she saw she was out, “Did I really drink that many?”

Claudia then looked around her office and counted how many empty cans there were.

“I really did.” Claudia said, “Oh well. Guess that means I’ve gotta send somebody to the store tomorrow then.”

Claudia then let out another tired sigh and looked over at her laptop, and then back up to her calendar.

“Halloween.” Claudia repeated, “When was the last time I celebrated Halloween? Had to be at least five years ago before I started this job, right?”

Claudia closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Did I start this job five years ago?” Claudia questioned, “Or was it six? Maybe four or seven? Gosh, I’m too freaking tired!”

Claudia stood up and yawned again.

“Question is, do I wanna sleep here again, or go to my room and sleep?” Claudia asked herself, “Actually, when was the last time I slept in my room?”

Claudia then glanced over her calendar again.

“Today is Tuesday… So maybe a week ago?” Claudia asked, “Or the Sunday before that?”

Claudia yawned again, and this time lifted up her arms to stretch out. However, as she did so, she caught the nasty smell of her own body odor coming from her armpits.

“Ew!” Claudia said, quickly dropping her arms, “I need some deodorant.”

Claudia then grabbed her purse that she kept on top of the fridge, pulled out a deodorant bar, and used it.

“That’s better.” Claudia said as she took a seat in her chair.

Claudia yawned again.

“I don’t think I’m gonna make it to my room.” Claudia told herself, “Welp, looks like I’m spending another night in my office.”

Using her office chair that had wheels on the bottom, she rolled back and locked her door so she wouldn’t get any unwanted visitors as she slept. She then leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

About an hour later, Polybius had finally realized that what had happened to him was not a prank but was an actual kidnapping. He now found himself in an unknown location, tied down by vines to his wheelchair, which was also bound to a wall by those same vines. He had been gagged by the vines as well and couldn’t talk.

All he knew is that the room was covered in plants and somewhat dark. There was a door at the far end of the wall across from him. He was also in a corner of the room, which he found a little odd, but didn’t question it. However, he was glad that the two females who had kidnapped him were nice enough to leave his injured leg alone.

“Alright!” The voice of Harley Quinn echoed in the room as she walked in, “Let’s do this!”

Polybius then found himself ungagged as the vine retreated from his mouth.

“Hey funny man!” Harley greeted as Poison Ivy walked in behind her, “I’ve got some questions for you!”

“Okay.” Polybius said, “Ask away!”

“There’s no point in resi- Wait, what?” Haley questioned, “You’re not gonna resist?”

“Why would I?” Polybius asked.

“Don’t you wanna protect your friends?” Harley asked, “You know, hero code and all that?”

“First off, I ain’t no hero.” Polybius said, “And secondly, I’m just a janitor.”

“Wait, you’re the Justice League’s janitor?” Ivy asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius replied, “I take care of Mount Justice for them.”

“I thought they abandoned that place?” Harley asked.

“Kinda sorta not really.” Polybius answered, “I mean, obviously, you two know that it’s being used.”

“Yeah!” Harley confirmed, clearly lying, “We obviously knew that!”

“Sure…” Polybius said, realizing that they didn’t know that it was occupied.

“Well, I suppose if you’re going to be cooperative, I’m gonna go get some takeout.” Ivy said.

“Oh! Can we get some pizza instead!?” Harley asked, “It’s been so long since I last had pizza!”

“Sure, whatever.” Ivy said, “You want some from that fancy place or the cheap place?”

“The fancy one!” Harley said.

“You know, I’m gonna have you chip in if I go to the fancy one, right?” Ivy asked.

“That’s alright.” Harley said, “I’m sure funny man here has got some money in his wallet, right?”

“Actually, my wallet was left at Mount Justice.” Polybius said.

“Aw!” Harley said, “Go to the cheap place then. It’s closer anyway.”

“Okay.” Ivy said.

“You want anything, Polybius?” Harley asked, looking over at him.

“You’re offering me good food?” Polybius asked.

“Good is not a term I would use to describe the pizza from that place.” Ivy said, “But I mean, we may be villains, but we aren’t going to starve you to death.”

“Aw, thanks!” Polybius said, “If that’s the case, then I’ll do a meat-lovers.”

“Alright.” Ivy said, “And I already know what you want.”

“Hawaiian!” Harley piped up.

“Not what I guessed, but alright!” Ivy said.

With that, Poison Ivy left, leaving Polybius alone with Harley Quinn.

“So! My interview!” Polybius started, “Tell me, what is it you would like to know!”

“Well, first off, I want to know, as a man, do you think this outfit looks good?” Harley asked.

Polybius was unfamiliar with Harley Quinn but had been aware of her existence. He looked her over and saw that she was wearing a skin-tight red and black shirt, as well as skin-tight red and black yoga shorts with skin-tight red and black boots. 

“Well, if you’re looking for a sexual attraction opinion, I’m not the person to ask.” Polybius said, “But, I mean, it looks good.”

“Really?” Harley asked, “You don’t think it makes me look fat?”

“Naw!” Polybius said, “Honestly, it highlights your figure very well.”

“Aw, you’re such a sweetheart!” Harley said.

“I mean, honestly, I think if you were worried about looking fat, you wouldn’t have chosen something skin-tight.” Polybius pointed out, “Although, why skin tight?”

“You think it’s too tight?” Harley asked, “The guys at the tailor I went to said they got it right! I’m gonna be pissed if they didn’t!”

“No, no, no, no, no!” Polybius said, “I’m just confused why so many people in the hero and villain industries chose to wear skin-tight clothing? It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Oh!” Harley replied, “Well… Honestly, I don’t know. You got me there.”

“I mean, I’d imagine that if things are so tight, sooner or later, it’s gotta get in the way of fighting and moving, right?” Polybius asked.

“Not really.” Harley said, “It’s made out of a super stretch material that works really well.”

“It must.” Polybius agreed, “Although, I personally wouldn’t wear it. I think yall miss the value of a good pair of sweatpants and a baggy sweatshirt.”

“Really?” Harley asked, “That’s what you’d rather fight in?”

“I honestly don’t care what I fight in.” Polybius said, “For me, it’s more about personal preference, you know?”

“I get ya.” Harley said, “I mean, I suppose it’s the same for a lot of us.”

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed, “Honestly, for about a year, I always thought y’all were like, advertising, trying to hustle some money on the side.”

“You thought we were all hoes?” Harley asked.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “I mean, where I come from, the only people who wear clothing that tight are adult dancers, so I was really confused for a long time until I realized that Superman was getting no action.”

“Wait!” Harley said, “You mean Superman has trouble getting laid?”

“He’s been courting the same woman since he started his career.” Polybius said, “And it’s the slowest thing I have ever seen! Dude is getting no action!”

“That’s funny.” Harley stated with a small giggle, “Despite all his super-ness, he can’t even get laid!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and as always, have a good one!


	13. Chapter 13: Unread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Polybius continues to warm up to his kidnappers, they begin revealing things to each other, and they explain to him why they kidnapped him in the first place. Polybius assures them that they will likely get what they want for as soon as the League finds out, they'll be all over it. They then make their video with their demands and send it to Black Canary, Donna Troy and the Team's common email before winding down for the night.

_Chapter 13_

_Unread..._

There was a moment of silence between the two. Polybius studied Harley Quinn to see what she was going to do. However, all she did was sit down in a chair not too far from him and smiled.

“I like you, Polybius.” Harley said.

“A lot of people do.” Polybius replied, “I know the Joker said he did the one time I met him.”

“Fuck the Joker!” Harley shouted angrily, taking Polybius off guard.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Polybius said, “I thought you two were together.”

“Not anymore!” Harley said, “I dumped him for the worthless garbage he was!”

“Well, congratulations!” Polybius cheered.

“Thank you.” Harley replied, clearly a little confused by Polybius’s response, “But why are you congratulating me?”

“Cause I know he didn’t treat you right.” Polybius stated, “Batman hasn’t told me much, but I know Robin’s said a few things here and there I’ve picked up on. I’m surprised you didn’t do it earlier.”

“Well, he really had me under his thumb.” Harley admitted, “But when he left to join the Injustice League without me and left me for dead, I decided that enough was enough.”

“Well, I’m glad you ended that toxic relationship.” Polybius cheered.

“I just wish I could smash his face in!” Harley stated angrily.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, the last time I saw him, I roasted the shit out of him.” Polybius said, “Told him he looks like Ellen Degeneres.”

Harley laughed before saying, “He does! Why did I never realize that!?”

This led to a brief moment of silence before Polybius started talking again.

“So, uh, if you don’t mind me asking if the Joker isn’t behind this and directing this, why did you kidnap me?” Polybius asked.

“Because I want to prove to everyone that I’m not a D-list villain!” Harley declared.

“Okay…” Polybius said, “What do you mean?”

This caused a change in Harley’s attitude as she let out a long sigh and dropped her head.

“It ain’t easy going solo.” Harley said, “Ever since I split with Joker, I’ve been trying to prove myself, ya know? But all I’m getting is C and D list heroes if any. I’m not getting any of the A-listers like Batman or Superman.”

“So you want to be feared?” Polybius questioned.

“Of course!” Harley said, “I wanna be seen as a great villain! Not some low life criminal!”

“Pizza’s here!” Poison Ivy interrupted the two.

Ivy then walked in with three pizzas. She freed Polybius’s arms just enough to where he could feed himself and joined the two in the room by making a seat out of vines.

“So, back to my question.” Polybius said, “Why did you kidnap me?”

“I… I don’t know.” Harley admitted.

“I thought you wanted to get the attention of the Justice League!” Ivy countered.

“I did!” Harley said, “But I don’t think they’re gonna care too much if their janitor vanishes off the face of the Earth.”

“Eh, you’re a little wrong there.” Polybius said, “I know Mom and Wonder Girl are gonna freak out.”

“Are you dating Wonder Girl?” Ivy asked.

“It’s… complicated.” Polybius said, “We’re not officially a thing, but we sorta are, not really.”

“How?” Harley asked.

“Well, as you know, with her being an Amazon, the idea of her dating a man is, uh, not really one she wants to get out. So we just say we’re ‘best friends cause we’ve been through a lot together, and we can get away with that. But I know she wants to take it further but is more scared of how her sisters and mother would react if they found out that she was dating me. So we are just really close friends instead.” Polybius explained.

“Makes sense.” Ivy agreed.

“Yeah, well, thing is… I think she needs to step back from me.” Polybius stated.

“She’s clingy?” Harley asked.

“Honestly, I’ve been enabling it.” Polybius admitted, “I should have done what I’m doing now a long time ago. Gotten her professional help.”

“Is she messed up?” Ivy asked.

“Oh yeah.” Polybius said, “She does a really good job of hiding it from everybody, but she’s… She’s been through a lot, and I am her comfort and support person.”

“So she’s totally dependent on you?” Harley asked.

“One hundred percent.” Polybius said, “I just hope my Mom can help her.”

“You’re Mom’s a therapist?” Harley asked.

“No.” Polybius lied in an effort to protect his mother, “But I’m hoping that by bringing somebody else I trust in, I can get her off her dependence on me and finally confront the issues she’s been avoiding all these years.”

“If I weren’t a villain, I would offer my help.” Harley stated, “I was a therapist before I became Harley Quinn. A good one too.”

“Didn’t know that.” Polybius said.

“Yeah.” Harley said, “That was before Joker ruined me.”

“Well, going back to my original question, and let me see if I’m understanding this right, you kidnapped me either in the hopes of attracting the attention of the Justice League or just cause you could?” Polybius asked.

“Just cause we could.” Harley stated, “And… honestly, I don’t know what we’re doing. I don’t want Wonder Girl. I want Wonder Woman! If that’s all we’re gonna get, then let’s cut him loose.”

“Hey now, hold on!” Polybius said, “I think we can help each other here.”

“We can?” Harley asked.

“Oh yeah!” Polybius said, “You see, you have a small error in judgment about my relationship to the League. Fact is, they love me. You’re gonna get the attention of A-listers like Superman and Wonder Woman, I promise.”

“Really!?” Harley piped up.

“Unless the B-listers up there get to me first, they’ll show. Hell, they’ll probably show up together.” Polybius said.

“Alright!” Harley cheered.

“I just have one request to make.” Polybius said.

“You want to make a request?” Ivy said, “You’re not really in a position to make requests.”

“Well, just hear me out.” Polybius said, “You see, all of my friends and family are heroes and are either in, or have extremely close ties to the Justice League. I literally have no one on the outside to talk to. I wouldn’t mind if you all held on to me until Thanksgiving.”

“And why would we do that?” Ivy asked.

“Cause I promise you, if you threaten to do stuff to me, they’ll most likely listen. That, and we can also help Wonder Girl!” Polybius pointed out.

“Like we care about her.” Ivy said.

“Now hold on.” Harley said, “I like where Polybius is going with this! Think about it! We might be able to get the heroes to commit crimes for us!”

“I’m trying to protect the environment!” Ivy countered, “I agreed to help you with this, so you’d stop nagging me.”

“But think about it!” Harley said, “If what Polybius is saying is true, just think about what we could do.”

“Well, first off, you’ve gotta find a different place.” Ivy said, “Remember, you being in my apartment is supposed to be temporary.”

“I’ll help do the chores.” Polybius offered.

Ivy looked at him for a moment and then back at Harley.

“Alright, he can stay.” Ivy agreed.

“Now hold on.” Harley said, “How do we know he isn’t gonna escape?”

“I’m in a freaking wheelchair!” Polybius said, “I’m no Joe Swanson, I’m not going anywhere fast.”

“Oh yeah.” Harley said, “Alright then, we have our hostage!”

“How should we let the League know we have him?” Ivy said.

“Oh! I know! Let’s let him call his Mom, begging for help!” Harley said, “Have her desperately appeal to the Justice League, and give them a closed channel to contact us on so they can’t track us!”

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “That should work.”

“Alright!” Harley said, “Good thing we stole those high tech phones from LexCorp. Batman shouldn’t be able to track them, right?”

“No, he shouldn’t.” Ivy agreed, “At least, so long as the calls stay short.”

“Sweet!” Harley said.

“Or you could text them a video of, I don’t know, Ivy, having a pea plant shoved up my nose, threatening to crush my brain on the inside if they attempt anything.” Polybius offered.

“I’m not gonna put a poor pea plant through that!” Ivy said.

“Then get another plant you don’t like!” Polybius said, “There’s gotta be one asshole plant around here you can use, right?”

“There is one green bean stock that has been giving me an attitude…” Ivy admitted.

“Perfect.” Polybius said.

“But I like the phone call!” Harley whined.

“Then let’s do both!” Polybius said, “We do the call first and then send the video to Mount Justice to get everyone involved!”

“That’s brilliant!” Harley agreed, “Do a good old double whammy!”

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed, “Now, bind me up again so we can make this convincing!”

Ivy then wrapped Polybius up in the vines again, and Harley Quinn went and retrieved one of the phones. It didn’t take her long to come back with them, and it took even less time to setup.

“Hold on.” Polybius said, “To make it even better, we need to have a caller ID for me. If it’s some random number, she may not pick up.”

“So pop in your sim card?” Ivy asked.

“Bingo.” Polybius said.

After popping Polybius’s sim card into the new phone, it didn’t take long for Harley Quinn to get to his contacts and call Polybius’s adoptive mother. She put the phone up to Polybius’s ear and let it ring. However, much to everyone’s surprise, she didn’t pick up.

“What mother doesn’t pick up when their own kid calls them?” Harley asked.

“Well, she’s probably getting dicked down.” Polybius bluntly commented.

“WHAT!?!?!?” Poison Ivy shouted, her face in total shock, “WHAT!?!?!?”

Harley, meanwhile, broke down into a laughing fit. She quickly went from standing to her knees to the floor. Polybius, meanwhile, while not laughing as hard, also couldn’t help but laugh at their reactions.

This laughing fit lasted ten minutes before Harley recovered. On the other hand, Ivy came out of her shock in five but ended up staring at Polybius with the same shocked expression for the other five minutes.

“I didn’t think you two were gonna react like that.” Polybius admitted, “Hell… I didn’t even think about that one, that just came out.”

“That was not at all what I was expecting to hear!” Harley laughed.

“What did you expect me to say?” Polybius laughed as well.

“Not that!” Ivy shouted.

“Especially about your own mother!” Harley laughed as she picked herself up off the ground.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!” Ivy said, “Didn’t you say earlier that all of your friends and family were either in or had close ties to the Justice League?”

“I did.” Polybius confirmed.

“Who is your mother?” Ivy asked as both she and Harley looked at him curiously.

Polybius let a few seconds of silence pass to let the tension build up before he revealed who it was.

“Black Canary.” Polybius answered.

“No way!” Both Harley and Ivy said in unison.

“You’re lying to us!” Harley said, “She’s not old enough to be your mom!”

“She’s my adoptive mother.” Polybius answered.

“Oh…” The two replied in unison.

“That makes sense.” Ivy agreed.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “The age difference between us is not huge. But she is my legal guardian.”

“So what happened to your biological parents?” Ivy asked.

“Never knew them.” Polybius lied, “I was one of them prom night dumpster babies.”

“Geez.” Ivy groaned as Harley laughed again.

“Is there ever a dull moment with you?” Harley asked.

“Not really.” Polybius said, “I’m just trying to have a good time, ya know.”

“Well, I guess we had better do that torture, threat video.” Ivy said, “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta go get a certain bean plant.”

“Say, who should we send the video to Polybius?” Harley asked.

“Um… Send it to Black Canary and Wonder Girl for sure.” Polybius commented, “And then send it to the main computer MJ as well. That will definitely warrant some attention.”

“What about Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman?” Harley asked, “If we want them here, shouldn’t we send it to them as well?”

“Nah.” Polybius said, “You hit Wonder Girl and Black Canary, as well as that main computer; everyone in the League is gonna see it fairly soon.”

“You sure?” Harley asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “They care about me enough. They won’t leave me on unread for too long.”

About an hour later, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Kid Flash finally returned from the Halloween party they were attending. The trio were laughing and joking about how much fun they had. Miss Martian was also kind enough to bring a few treats from the party as well, as the trio knew that Polybius wasn’t going out.

“I’ll go drop these off at Polybius’s room.” Miss Martian said as she morphed back to her usual appearance, “I hope he hasn’t been bored to death with everyone gone.”

“He’s probably enjoyed it.” Superboy said, “I mean, he’s just now starting to get around the cave on his own and is trying to get away from the round the clock care the doctors ordered him. I mean, I’m sure he wouldn’t send Wonder Girl off to go hang out with someone else if he didn’t want to be alone.”

“You know, speaking of Wonder Girl, I have yet to actually see her.” Kid Flash commented.

“That’s because you avoid Polybius’s room like the plague.” Superboy countered, “And she’s always in there with him.”

“If not her, then Black Canary.” Kid Flash added.

“Hey guys!” Miss Martian called out as she floated back into the main room, “Polybius isn’t in his room.”

“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” Kid Flash stated.

“Or maybe he went outside.” Superboy offered, “I’m sure he probably took the chance to get outside again. Get some fresh air.”

“You’re probably right.” Miss Martian agreed, “Come on! We’ve still got time for a late-night horror movie marathon!”

“Alright!” Kid Flash said.

Meanwhile, back in Poison Ivy’s apartment, Polybius stuffed his left nostril with a new tissue. Poison Ivy, admittedly a little angry with him because of how hard he had roasted her earlier, was a bit rough with him. And Polybius didn’t know what she hit, but it was refusing to stop bleeding.

“Do we need to take you to a hospital?” Harley asked, looking at the trash can full of bloody tissues.

“Man, I don’t know.” Polybius replied, “If this doesn’t stop bleeding soon, then yeah, we might have to do something.”

“Oh yeah, because taking a hostage to the hospital is a great idea.” Ivy added.

“I don’t want to see him die.” Harley said, “Honestly, he seems like a pretty cool guy.”

“Oh, so you want to date the hostage now!?” Ivy asked.

“No, it’s not like that!” Harley said, “I mean, he really isn’t any use to us dead, is he?”

“No, I suppose he’s not.” Ivy agreed, “But taking him to a hospital is out of the question.”

“Then what can we do?” Harley asked.

“I don’t think I’ll die from a nosebleed.” Polybius chimed in, “I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, well, you had better get some rest then.” Ivy said, “Cause I’ve got a long list of chores for you to do.”

“It’s a good thing I’m a janitor then.” Polybius commented, “A good one too.”

“Yeah, well, this place needs a good deep clean.” Ivy said, “And Harley, you’re gonna help us too!”

“Okay!” Harley replied gleefully.

“Say, have they seen the video yet?” Polybius asked.

“No.” Harley said as she looked at the status.

“That’s strange.” Polybius encouraged, “I’m surprised they aren’t reacting.”

“It’s Halloween. They’re probably busy.” Ivy said.

Another two hours later, Wonder Girl finally returned to the cave, and she was wasted. Between her not drinking a lot and the group of people she decided to hang out with, it spelled a recipe for disaster. In fact, she was so drunk, she not only had to look at the ground to navigate but also had to have a hand on the wall as well in order not to fall over, and she could not walk in a straight line to save her soul. How she managed to make it back to the cave in her condition was nothing short of a miracle.

And as she stumbled down the hall, she was at least able to tell herself that she had to make it to Polybius’s room. Once there, she knew she was free to pass out like she wanted to.

“Wonder Girl?” The voice of Artemis asked as she and Zatanna watched her stumble down the hall, “Are you okay?”

Wonder Girl’s speech was so slurred, whatever she said was incomprehensible to the two. However, instead of helping her, the two just watched and laughed at her as she stumbled backward and landed on her butt.

“Oh she’s wasted.” Artemis laughed.

“She’s gonna have a hangover from hell tomorrow.” Zatanna added.

“No!” Artemis corrected, “A hangover from Tartarus!”

The two girls laughed as Wonder Girl managed to pick herself back up and continue to stumble down the hall. She managed to make it to Polybius’s room and open the door. However, as soon as she entered, she lost her balance, and as she tried to catch herself, she landed in Polybius’s bed and passed out.

Meanwhile, Polybius’s nose had finally stopped bleeding, and he was enjoying a horror movie with Harley and Ivy that the former had insisted he joined them.

“Hey, have they seen the video yet?” Polybius questioned during a slower part of the movie.

“What video?” Harley asked.

“The one we made a few hours ago.” Polybius said, “Where you threaten to crush my brain with a bean plant.”

“Oh yeah!” Harley said, “Let me check…”

Harley then looked down at the phone and saw the status of the message they sent to the computer in the cave, his mother and Wonder Girl. The two had kept possession of Polybius’s phone, so he couldn’t call for help.

“Dang…” Harley said, “You’re still left on unread.” 

“You serious?” Polybius asked.

“Wow.” Ivy said, “Sounds like you have some shitty friends and family.”

“Yeah!” Harley agreed, “I mean, firstly, your own mother doesn’t pick up on you, nor does your supposed ‘best friend.’ And then, on top of that, you get left on unread for hours! Seriously! Who does that!?”

“Man, I thought they cared about me!” Polybius commented, a clear sense of genuine unhappiness in his voice.

“It is Halloween.” Ivy commented, “They are probably all having fun or asleep.”

“Or watching bad horror movies!” Harley added.

“You’re telling me there isn’t a single person in the Justice League who can’t answer that email?” Polybius asked, anger now rising in his voice, “People who claim to care about me, and say that they’re always a ‘call away?’ Ugh!”

“Maybe they’re all just busy!” Harley said, trying to calm Polybius down, “Let’s just hop over to the news real quick and see what’s going on.”

Doing that turned out to be a mistake, as the news anchors were marveling at how quiet of a night it was, one of the quietest in years for it being Halloween night. And upon seeing and hearing this, it enraged Polybius even more.

“Nope.” Polybius said, “They are all in that freaking tower partying away while my life is in freaking danger!”

“You’re not in that much danger.” Ivy countered.

“You shoved a bean stock up my nose!” Polybius shouted, “They just need to think I’m in danger!”

“Is there anywhere else we can send that video to that will get an answer?” Harley asked.

“At this point, screw it!” Polybius said, “The MJ one should have set off a whole lot of people. Guess none of them care enough to even read it, though!”

Polybius then let out a long and frustrated sigh.

“Let’s get back to the movie.” Polybius asked, “I can’t deal with this anymore. I’ll leave it for tomorrow.”

“Okay…” Ivy said as she hit the play button for the movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 13! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, have a good one!


	14. Chapter 14: No Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up from a night of heavy drinking Donna realizes that she got sprayed by a skunk on her way back to Polybius's room last night. Disgusted by this, she heads to the washroom to deal with this without checking her phone. Artemis joins her and assist her in getting the skunk smell off her body as the two talk about Polybius.
> 
> Black Canary meanwhile, had a fun night with Green Arrow, but forgot to charge her phone last night, leaving it dead. The two then have a long conversation about Polybius and Donna. Green Arrow expressed his desire to see the two of them finally get together, and that Donna should stop worrying about how other people see her. Dinah doesn't reveal anything Donna had told her, but still engages with Green Arrow, agreeing with his points.
> 
> Meanwhile, Polybius, in an effort to win favor with his kidnappers, begins doing chores to make himself look good. However, is extremely upset when he finds out that no one has seen the video yet.
> 
> The Team also decides to sleep in that day, since they all had a late night the previous night, and Red Tornado, despite seeing the email, didn't open it as he didn't believe it was his place to.

_Chapter 14_

_No Good..._

Wonder Girl groaned as she began to wake up. She could feel a warm wetness under her face from the puddle of drool that had come out of her mouth as she slept. She didn’t open her eyes, however, as her head pounded hard from the monster hangover she was having.

She laid there in Polybius’s bed for ten minutes before finally pulling herself together enough to roll onto her back and out of the drool puddle on the bed. Shen then opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

“Where am I?” Wonder Girl questioned as she failed to recall a lot of the previous night.

A mild sense of panic then set in as she realized just how drunk she had gotten the night before. She sat up in the bed and saw the open door in front of her. This didn’t calm her; however, looking around the room did as she recognized it.

“Oh, thank the gods, I’m in Polybius’s room.” Wonder Girl said with a sigh of relief.

Looking down at the bed she was on; however, she was confused as to why she didn’t see Polybius in his own bed. He had a reputation for not caring who or what slept with him, just so long as they kept him warm.

“He must have gotten up before me.” Wonder Girl commented, “But why did he leave the door open?”

Wonder Girl then took a brief moment to smell to see if he wanted to air out his room. Upon smelling herself, she gagged at how putrid the odor coming off her body was. In fact, the odor that was coming off her clothing and body was not only alcohol and vomit but also skunk.

“Ew…” Wonder Girl, grounded in disgust, “I need a shower.”

Standing up, Wonder Girl then made her way down to the bathroom. Once there, she stopped for a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t help but think that she looked like a total train wreck. She could see her hair was a mess, she had drool markings on her face, and her clothing was extremely filthy, as well as her olive skin.

“By the gods, I need a shower.” Wonder Girl told herself as she began making her way over there.

“Have fun last night?” Artemis teasingly asked as she walked in.

“I don’t think so.” Wonder Girl replied, “I just really want a nice warm shower.”

“Oh! One of those nights!” Artemis teased, “I guess Polybius got lucky!”

“No! Not that!” Wonder Girl sharply countered, “I think I got sprayed by a skunk at some point.”

“Oh.” Artemis replied, “Well then, a shower is not gonna help you.”

“It’s not?” Wonder Girl asked.

“Girl, have you ever been sprayed by a skunk before?” Artemis asked.

“I didn’t know they existed until I came to Man’s world.” Wonder Girl explained, “But I have had almost no interaction with them.”

“Oh, well, I know for a fact that you’re gonna need to do a lot more than a hot shower.” Artemis said, “You should look up some methods on Google as to how to get rid of that smell.”

“Thank you.” Wonder Girl said as she reached for her phone.

Feeling around in her pockets, she didn’t feel her phone.

“Shit!” Wonder Girl cursed.

“Did you lose it?” Artemis asked.

“Must have.” Wonder Girl said, “And I don’t want to go look for it smelling and looking like this!”

“Well, it may work as a natural Wally repellent.” Artemis joked to herself.

“Can you please help me?” Wonder Girl asked, “I can’t let Diana or anyone see me like this!”

“Sure!” Artemis agreed, “Come on, you’ll need to soak in a bath for a while. Go ahead and fill up a tub while I go get a few things.”

As Wonder Girl did as she was instructed meanwhile, Black Canary was also waking up looking like a mess. Unsurprisingly, both she and Green Arrow had gotten drunk last night and had a long night of fun in the bed she had shared with him.

Walking back into the bedroom from the shower, Black Canary finished getting dressed as Green Arrow walked in.

“Good morning, pretty bird!” Green Arrow greeted.

“Good morning.” She replied.

“Man, was it a good thing Polybius didn’t want to go with us last night.” Green Arrow commented, “I doubt he would have liked hearing the love we made last night.”

Canary let out a small laugh as she walked over to her purse that was sitting on the nightstand. Once there, she opened it up and pulled out her phone. Looking at her screen and hitting the power button, she realized that her phone was dead.

“Ugh, shoot!” Canary groaned, “Say, do you got an extra charger? Mine’s back up at the Watchtower.”

“What kind?” Green Arrow asked.

“I’ve got an iPhone.” Canary answered.

“Nope.” Arrow replied, “I’ve got Android.”

“Dang it!” Canary cursed.

“You’ll be alright.” Arrow assured her, “If something important had come up, they would have found another way to get a hold of us.”

“Yeah, well, I’d like to check up on Polybius.” Canary said, “Last night was his first night alone since he got back from the hospital.”

“Oh, he’s fine.” Arrow assured her, “I’m sure Wonder Girl is looking after him right now.”

When Green Arrow mentioned Wonder Girl, it made Canary realize that she hadn’t sat down with her for a formal therapy session. She went a little wide-eyed but was quick to correct herself as to hide her realization from Green Arrow.

“Yeah.” Canary agreed, “She does take good care of him.”

“Say, got a question.” Green Arrow said, “I was just curious, but do you know if there is anything going on between those two?”

“Like what?” Canary asked.

“Are they together?” Green Arrow asked.

“Sorta.” Canary answered.

“Sorta?” Arrow followed up.

“Well… With how Polybius has put it to me, Wonder Girl is concerned about how her fellow Amazons would react.” Canary explained, “Especially her mother and Diana.”

“Diana?” Arrow asked, “I thought she was with that Steve Trevor guy?”

“I don’t really keep up with that.” Canary admitted, “But everyone in the League knows she can be quite the hypocrite sometimes.”

“That is true.” Green Arrow agreed, “But still, surely she would approve of Polybius. I mean, for God’s sake, you remember what he did to her on her birthday.”

“I’m honestly amazed that she didn’t kill him.” Canary admitted.

“That’s my point!” Green Arrow said, “Clearly, she likes Polybius. So I don’t see why she would have a problem with the two of them making it an official thing. I mean, come on, they’ve got everything there to make it happen, and they are clearly very happy with each other.”

“They are.” Canary agreed, “But that still doesn’t rule out how her mother or fellow Amazon sisters would react.”

“Well, they’re all a bunch of hypocrites if you ask me.” Green Arrow said, “Preaching hate towards men while in the same breath, claiming to be peaceful. I’m sorry, but you can’t live in peace and fear at the same time, no matter how hard you try.”

“That sounds like something Polybius would say.” Canary commented.

“Well, he’s the one who put it to me that way.” Green Arrow admitted.

“Did he?” Canary asked.

“Yep.” Green Arrow confirmed, “And I think, based on what I’ve seen and what you told me, that Wonder Girl needs to stop being afraid of what other people will think about her and just do what she wants. If she wants to start dating him, and he’s okay with it, then, by all means, they should do it!”

“You’re right.” Canary agreed.

Meanwhile, in Mount Justice, the Team, collectively having a late-night, decided to sleep in that morning. Red Tornado, however, did return early that morning from the party, very confused. He wasn’t sure why humans felt the need to do many of the things he saw last night but refused to question it.

Red Tornado first opened up the computer and saw that the Team had unopened emails they needed to go through. He didn’t go through them so as to give the Team a bit more of the sense of autonomy that they desired.

After checking up on the systems, Red Tornado then went up to his room to continue to work on his projects.

Meanwhile, back in Poison Ivy’s apartment, Polybius had woken up early despite the late night. For whatever reason, his body had struggled to get adequate sleep the previous night, and he felt exhausted. However, he suspected that part of the reason why is because of how enraged he was at the people who claimed to care about him but left him on unread in his hour of need.

In an effort to get his mind off the situation, he immediately began working on the chores he had agreed to do. He started by washing the dishes, during which the other two woke up.

“Ivy, I’ve gotta tell you about this crazy dream I had!” Harley said.

“You’re always having crazy dreams.” Ivy countered.

“Yeah, but this one was super crazy!” Harley said.

“Good morning!” Polybius shouted from the kitchen as he heard them.

“What the?” Ivy questioned.

The two quickly made their way to the kitchen to see Polybius working hard on the chores he had agreed to do.

“Wow.” Ivy commented, “Look at you go!”

“Thank you.” Polybius said, “But we agreed that I would help you do chores around here, so no sense in wasting time.”

“Well, thank you!” Ivy said, “I can already tell you’re gonna be a great help.”

“Uh-hu.” Polybius said, “Say, have they responded to the video yet?”

“Oh! Let me check!” Harley said as she pulled out the phone.

Her smile quickly faded away as she saw the status of the messages on the phone.

“Well?” Polybius asked, not looking over at her, “What did they say?”

“Oh!” Ivy said, looking over Harley’s shoulder.

“Dude.” Harley said, “They must really not like you, ’cause you’re still left on unread.”

Polybius stopped what he was doing and looked over at the two, dropping a pan in the process.

“Oh, no.” Ivy said as she could see the anger and rage in his eyes.

Polybius then shouted in rage, “WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!?”

Meanwhile, Wonder Girl and Artemis had finally finished prepping the former’s bath.

“So, how long do I have to stay in here?” Wonder Girl asked as she lowered herself down into the water.

“I’d give it half an hour or so.” Artemis said, “At least, that’s what the article I read online said. But I say until the smell goes away.”

“Well, hopefully, this works.” Wonder Girl said, “Because I smell awful.”

“Well, considering Zatanna nor I smelled you last night as you stumbled past us, it’s not that bad.” Artemis stated.

“I did?” Wonder Girl asked.

“You did.” Artemis confirmed, “You were wasted last night.”

“Well, I suppose that’s what I get for getting that drunk in the first place.” Wonder Girl commented, “Gosh, last night was such a mistake!”

“Was it?” Artemis asked.

“Considering I don’t remember most of it, yeah, it was.” Wonder Girl confirmed.

“What do you remember?” Artemis asked.

Wonder Girl thought about it for a moment.

“Now, don’t get stupid drunk.” She remembered Polybius telling her.

“Stupid drunk?” Wonder Girl questioned.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “Don’t blackout or drink till you start revealing your secrets, or doing anything stupid in general. I don’t want you stumbling around like an idiot embarrassing yourself, barely able to freaking speak.”

“I won’t do that.” Wonder Girl assured him.

“But still, get a little drunk.” Polybius told her, “And have fun. You deserve it!”

Coming out of her last clear memory from the previous night, Wonder Girl turned to Artemis and answered, “Well, the last thing I clearly remember about last night was Polybius warning me not to get as drunk as I did.”

“That’s funny.” Artemis said as she laughed.

“Yeah, well, not for me.” Wonder Girl followed up, “I should have listened to him.”

“Aw, come on!” Artemis said, “You gotta live a little! Spread your legs and have some fun!”

“I think I’ll be keeping them closed, thank you.” Wonder Girl countered.

“Not like that!” Artemis said, “Well, no, like that, but what I meant was getting out and having fun, you know! Hitting the town with a bunch of your girlfriends, going shopping, messing around at the mall, and checking out some cute guys!”

“I’m not so sure about that last one.” Wonder Girl said.

“Well, I can’t say I blame you.” Artemis said, “If I had a guy that looked like Polybius, I wouldn’t be looking either.”

“We’re not-” Wonder Girl started but cut herself off.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Artemis said, “It just seemed so obvious.”

“Yeah…” Wonder Girl agreed in a defeated tone as she sank into the bathtub a little and lowered her head.

Artemis was a little confused by the way Wonder Girl said that. It was clear that there was more there.

“Do you want to date him?” Artemis asked.

“Yes- no!” Wonder Girl said, “Gosh, I don’t know!”

“You don’t know?” Artemis asked.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love him more than anyone else.” Wonder Girl assured, “But there’s just so much going against us.”

Artemis decided to stop prodding Wonder Girl at this point, as she realized just how deep this rabbit hole went. And it was one that the young archer did not really want to get to the bottom of. However, her morals were also telling her that she couldn’t leave Wonder Girl like this. She felt that the only thing she could do was try to give the young Amazon advice.

“Well… I’m not sure what is all going against you, but I know that if you both want it, you’ll both make it work.” Artemis said.

“Oh, please.” Wonder Girl said, taking Artemis off guard, “Life isn’t a fairytale. Love isn’t going to make anything happen. Just get me in trouble.”

“Don’t say that!” Artemis countered, “I’m sure if you two try and not care about what other people think, then you’ll be golden.”

Wonder Girl didn’t respond as she sank even lower into the tub. Artemis, unsure of what to say or do at this point, decided that it was best for her to leave and take her own shower, and then come back and check up on Wonder Girl later.

When Artemis left, and Wonder Girl was alone, the latter couldn’t help but think about what Artemis had said. She began to wonder if she could make things work with Polybius like how she wanted to. She desperately wanted to be with him but was so scared of what other people would think, and it kept her from doing it.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Claudia had finally woken up from her extremely long sleep. She let out a huge yawn as she stretched out her arms.

“Aw, man!” Claudia said as she stretched out, “That was a great sleep!”

Sitting up in her chair, Claudia looked around her office. She first looked over at her calendar and smiled.

“Oh, boy!” Claudia said, “Time to see who next month’s hottie is!”

Claudia’s calendar was one of extremely attractive, mostly nude, men. While she was personally bisexual, Claudia did tend to lean more on the straight side than the gay side. Her personal favorite were men who had both a nice butt and well-defined muscles.

Rolling her calendar over to the next month, Claudia stopped for a moment and started at the hottie. His back was facing the camera as he was doing a pull-up in a tight pair of underwear when the picture was taken.

“Oh!” Claudia said tastefully, “I’m gonna enjoy this for the next month!”

After marveling at the sexy man in the picture, Claudia shifted her focus to her office. Pictiuallry how dirty it was due to the empty energy drink cans lying around the room, and her full trash can, also crammed full of empty energy drink cans.

“Geez.” Claudia mumbled to herself, “I’m such a slob.”

Straightening up her office a little bit, Claudia didn’t waste too much time, as she knew it was only going to be a few days before it looked like that again. It was a cruel cycle she was stuck in where she would endlessly work for several days, pass out, and have a realization as to how disgusting she was when she woke up, feel bad about it, clean up, and repeat.

Speaking of which, Claudia also knew she needed to take a shower as she hadn’t taken one in days. And while the deodorant she had put on the night before was keeping the smell of her armpits at bay, it was the smell of her own body odor when she bent over to pick up a can that made her gag.

“Oh, gosh!” Claudia said, standing up in total disgust, “Ew!”

Taking a moment to recover, Claudia then took a deep breath so she could finish with the trash. The reason she didn’t immediately leave her office to go to the showers was that the trash shoot was on the way to the showers, thus saving her time.

Quickly finishing up in her office, Claudia made haste down the hallway, doing her best to use the trash to hide her body odor.

Meanwhile, at Poison Ivy’s apartment, Polybius let out a huge breath.

“Alright, that’s good.” Harley said, “Now, breath in.”

When Polybius learned that he was still left on unread, he had been sent into an unholy rage. Never before had he been so pissed off with the League, the Team, his mother, and his supposed best friend. He couldn’t believe the fact that even though the video had been sent to them over eight hours ago, they still hadn’t looked at it.

Fortunately, Harley Quinn was able to save the situation. Thankfully, due to her background in therapy, she was able to get through to Polybius and managed to calm him down. However, that didn’t happen until after Ivy and restrained him out of fear he was going to start destroying things.

“And out.” Harley said, “You feel better?”

Polybius exhaled and paused for a moment before responding.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Polybius asked.

“Only the Joker would joke around like that.” Harley assured him, “We may be evil, but we’re not evil like that.”

“I think I’m gonna have a goddamn aneurysm.” Polybius commented.

“And that’s why we breathe!” Harley pointed out, “To keep that from happening!”

“Yeah…” Polybius agreed, “Gosh, I feel so betrayed right now.”

“I totally understand.” Harley said.

Polybius let out a long sigh.

“I haven’t been this angry in so long.” Polybius said out loud.

“Well, raging like you did is not gonna help!” Ivy said as she walked in.

“Actually, I find that smashing things is a good stress reliever.” Harley countered.

“Well, at least it was metal pots.” Ivy stated, “Not the glass tables I keep having to rebuy because you keep smashing them.”

“I apologize for my behavior.” Polybius stated, “It wasn’t right of me. And I’ll pay for the damages.”

“You didn’t break anything, thank God.” Ivy stated, “But next time, let’s find you a punching bag or something.”

“Sure.” Polybius replied.

“Well, maybe you want to talk about it?” Harley asked, “I know that talking about things can really help.”

“You know what! Sure!” Polybius agreed, “Maybe having somebody on the outside to talk to might actually be a good thing for me!”

“Yeah, well, do that later.” Ivy said, “Right now, let’s just focus on calming you down.”

“Right, right.” Polybius agreed before he took another deep breath, “Gosh, I feel so freaking betrayed.”

Meanwhile, back inside Mount Justice, Wonder Girl continued to think about what Artemis had told her. And the more she thought, the more she found herself encouraging herself to ask him out and not care about what everyone else thought. However, she was still torn about her mother and Diana.

“Hey, Wonder Girl!” Artemis called as she walked in, “You holding up good?”

“Hm?” Wonder Girl questioned.

“I asked, how are you doing?” Artemis repeated.

“Oh, I’m doing fine.” Wonder Girl said.

“Good.” Artemis said, “Say, later today, M’gann, Zatanna, and I are going to hit the mall. You wanna come with?”

“Only if Polybius doesn’t need me.” Wonder Girl answered.

“I’m sure he’s fine wherever he is!” Artemis said.

“Wherever he is?” Wonder Girl questioned, “You mean he’s not here?”

“Of course not!” Artemis said, “This is the girl’s bathing room!”

“No!” Wonder Girl countered, “I mean in Mount Justice.”

“I haven’t seen him.” Artemis said, “Then again, this is a big place.”

“Are you sure?” Wonder Girl followed up.

“Yeah, I am.” Artemis confirmed.

“Just wanted to be sure.” Wonder Girl replied.

“I know.” Artemis assured her, “Say, on a different note, you should be good to get out now. Just smell yourself first, and make sure you don’t smell like skunk butt. Although, if we run into some cute guys, if you still smell like awful, it would draw attention to us and make it more fair.”

“You’re saying that I alone would make things unfair?” Wonder Girl asked.

“You want to know what’s unfair?” Artemis asked, “The fact that you can look as bad as you did this morning and still look sexy as hell!”

Wonder Girl laughed at Artemis’s comment before she began smelling herself to determine whether or not she was free of the skunk stench.

Meanwhile, back at Poison Ivy’s apartment, Polybius, while still very pissed off, had his anger under control. It had taken him a full hour to do so, but he was finally calm. The fact that Ivy had turned on the TV and was watching Wonder Woman go at it with someone Polybius didn’t catch the name off, helped him as it gave him something to focus on.

“Have they seen it yet?” Polybius dared to ask Harley.

“Let me check…” Harley said as she pulled out the phone.

Polybius took a deep breath as Harley looked.

“No.” Harley answered.

“AAHHHHH!!!!” Polybius shouted in rage.

“You better calm down!” Ivy warned, “Or else that bean plant’s going up your nose again!”

Polybius rocked in his seat a little as Harley watched. He was taking deep breaths to calm himself down. This was somewhat successful as Polybius didn’t feel like smashing or screaming anymore.

“Just give it another hour!” Harley told him, “I’m sure somebody will have to look at it by 10!”

“Well, just give it another hour.” Polybius said, trying to keep himself calm but sounding more hysterical, “And it’ll all be fine! E- Everything is gonna be okay!”

“Yeah!” Harley encouraged, a little taken off by his hysteria, “Just try to focus on something else!”

Polybius then looked over at the news. He saw his good friend Wonder Woman carrying an elderly man to safety.

“In other news, Wonder Woman is saving the day.” Polybius said out loud.

Polybius watched as Wonder Woman lowered the elderly man to the ground.

“Gosh, I wish that was me!” Polybius added.

“Let’s focus on something else!” Harley said.

Polybius then looked away from the TV and took another deep breath to try and shift his mind away from how betrayed he felt.

“You know, when I first realized that I was actually being kidnapped and my life was in actual danger, I sorta figured that I would end up being rescued by now. But no. No…” Polybius dragged out before shouting in rage, “UNREAD!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it, Chapter 14! I hope you enjoyed this, don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and as always, have a good one!


	15. Chapter 15: Highest Priority

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinah goes back to the cave to check up on Polybius, but only find Donna in his room. Donna explains that she doesn't know where Polybius is and the two set off to go look for him. As they do, they talk more about Polybius, and Donna exposes more weaknesses about herself. However, they get interrupted by Diana, who had come down to Mount Justice after it was realized that eh security system had been shut down last night. With Polybius being the only person in the Cave, it made him look suspicious, and Batman insisted on having him checked out. However, they then learn that Polybius was actually kidnapped, and in danger.
> 
> Meanwhile, Irene runs into Claudia in the showers, and notices that Claudia doesn't look like she is taking care of herself. She points out a few things to Claudia, but she brushed them off.
> 
> With how much Polybius knows about the League, an emergency meeting is called to address the situation. Things get hostile as the threat of Polybius's knowledge about all of them falling into the wrong hands becomes cleaner by the second. Batman puts all hands on deck finding Polybius as fast as possible before Polybius starts giving up information about them that could lead to their deaths.

_Chapter 15_

_Highest Priority..._

“That’s so much better.” Wonder Girl said, looking at herself in the mirror.

“Yep.” Artemis agreed, “Now you don’t smell like skunk butt.”

“Thank you, Artemis.” Wonder Girl thanked.

“No problem.” Artemis replied, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get something to eat.”

“And I should get back to Polybius.” Wonder Girl stated.

With that, the two parted ways. Wonder Girl walked down to Polybius’s room and was surprised to find the still door open, and even more surprised to see that Polybius wasn’t in the room.

“Huh?” Wonder Girl said, “Where is he?”

Deciding that her phone would be the fastest way to get a hold of him, she began searching his room for her phone that she had lost. As she searched meanwhile, Black Canary entered Mount Justice through the Zeta Tubes and was surprised to see no one in the main room. She didn’t think about it too much, though, as she knew that the Team had a late-night like most of the League did.

However, what did catch her eye, and made her stop, was when she noticed a small plant growing out of the cave wall. She knew that Polybius was not fully capable of performing his assigned tasks and that it had fallen on the Team to maintain the place until he could resume his duties. But this was inexcusable. There was no reason a plant should be growing out of the wall, compromising the structural integrity of the cave. Which was something Polybius had worked tirelessly to restore and maintain since he took on this job.

“I’ll get them for this later.” Black Canary muttered to herself, as she wanted to see Polybius.

Walking down towards Polybius’s room, she was surprised to see that his door was open. Usually, Polybius left it closed as to make his room not seem like it was inviting the Team in. Canary, however, only paused for a moment, as she assumed that because the room had exceptionally poor ventilation, he had opened the door to try and help improve that.

Right as Canary was about to walk into the room, Wonder Girl tried walking out, and the two bumped into each other.

“Sorry!” Wonder Girl apologized, a mild panic in her tone.

“You’re alright.” Canary replied in a calm tone, “However, I would like to speak to you later.”

“Sure!” Wonder Girl quickly followed up.

Looking past Wonder Girl, Canary saw that Polybius was not in the room.

“Where’s Polybius?” Canary questioned.

“I… uh… I don’t know.” Wonder Girl hesitantly answered.

“You don’t know?” Canary followed up.

“Look, Polybius encouraged me to go out last night and have some fun, so I did.” Wonder Girl explained.

“You did?” Canary asked, thinking that that sounded extremely unlike her.

“I know it sounds strange.” Wonder Girl said, “However, Polybius was insistent that I take some time off from taking care of him as that’s all I’ve been doing for a long while now.”

“I know what he was doing.” Canary followed up, calming down, “So, do you know where he could be?”

“No.” Wonder Girl answered, “I was gonna check my phone, but I seem to have lost it and am now going to try and retrace my steps to find it.”

“Hm.” Canary said, “Well, I’d use mine, but mine’s dead. I came here because I know Polybius has a spare iPhone charger I can borrow.”

“I thought he had a Pixel?” Wonder Girl questioned.

“He does.” Canary replied, “However, he hangs on to one for me because I have a bad habit of leaving mine elsewhere.”

“Of course he would.” Wonder Girl said, “He’s a good man.”

“He sure is.” Canary said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to plug in and charge my phone, so I can call him.”

“Go ahead.” Wonder Girl said, moving out of her way.

It didn’t take long for Canary to pull out the spare iPhone charger that Polybius kept on hand as she knew where he kept it. Once her phone was plugged in, Wonder Girl spotted a phone lying on the ground in the hallway.

“Yes!” Wonder Girl said happily as she rushed and picked up her phone, “How did I miss you…”

Her excitement turned to one of sadness as she realized that her phone, like Black Canary’s, was dead. However, it didn’t surprise her as she had left the cave last night with roughly sixty percent battery.

“Looks like I need to charge mine as well.” Wonder Girl mumbled to herself.

Fortunately for her, she also had a Google Pixel phone, the same model as Polybius, for a matter of fact, so the two could share chargers.

“Dead too?” Canary asked as Wonder Girl walked back into Polybius’s room.

“Yep.” Wonder Girl replied, “I’m just glad I didn’t lose it last night.”

“Oh?” Canary questioned.

Wonder Girl then let out a nervous laugh as Canary smiled.

“What did you do?” Canary asked.

As Wonder Girl squatted down and picked up the end of Polybius’s charger, she shook her head.

“I got way more drunk than I should have last night.” Wonder Girl admitted.

“How drunk?” Canary questioned.

“The last thing I clearly remember is Polybius not telling me to get as drunk as I did.” Wonder Girl answered, “And that was before I left.”

Canary laughed as Wonder Girl plugged in her phone and set it down on the ground next to Polybius’s bed. She then stood up and looked down the hall.

“Guess we had better go find Polybius.” Wonder Girl said.

“Actually, before we do that, why don’t we sit down and talk.” Canary said as she shut the door.

“I don’t want to talk about my trauma.” Wonder Girl sharply countered.

“I understand, Donna.” Dinah assured her, “And it’s my fault for letting you fall on the back burner. You deserve better.”

“No, I don’t.” Donna countered.

“Yes, you do.” Dinah pressed, “And if Polybius were here right now, he would agree with me.”

Donna turned away from Dinah and shook her head.

“He would.” Donna said, “But he’s wrong.”

“And what makes him wrong?” Dinah asked.

“He just likes to try and lift me up.” Donna said, “Even though I’m not worth it.”

“He doesn’t think that.” Dinah said, “I promise you he doesn’t.”

“I know he doesn’t.” Donna replied, “Doesn’t mean he’s wrong.”

“Now, how many times is he wrong?” Dinah asked.

“Rarely.” Donna said.

“Yes! Rarely!” Dinah said.

“But sometimes he is.” Donna said, “And I know that when it comes to me, he’s very wrong.”

Dinah let out a long sigh before she decided to see if dropping a bomb might shock Donna out of her denial.

“Look, Donna.” Dinah started, putting a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder, “I don’t know if you know this, but Polybius loves you. He’s told me that himself.”

“He’s told me that too.” Donna said, taking away all of the shock value Dinah had hoped to get out of that.

“So you know that!” Dinah followed up, knowing she could still work with her point.

“Doesn’t mean I believe him.” Donna coldly stated.

“Donna-” Dinah started but was quickly cut off.

“I know he doesn’t!” Donna followed up, “He just tells me that to make me feel better. But all I am is a burden to him, aren’t I?”

“No!” Dinah countered, “You are not a burden to him!”

“Then why turn me over to you?” Donna asked.

“Donna, we’ve been over this.” Dinah assured her, “He doesn’t want you to be dependent on him and him alone. He wants you to be able to lean on other people when you’re feeling down. He turned to me because I am a professional in what I do, and I can offer you resources he can’t. This is why we need to sit down and have our first formal session sooner rather than later.”

Donna let out a long sigh before responding, “I would like Polybius at our sessions as well.”

“That’s fine.” Dinah said, “How about we go find him and start one. We can do it right in here, just the three of us.”

“Sure.” Donna agreed.

Heading towards the training room, the two ran into Wonder Woman, who was walking down the hall towards Polybius’s room.

“Diana!” Wonder Girl spoke up, surprised to see her older sister, “What are you doing here?”

“A headcount.” Wonder Woman explained, “Last night, someone shut off the security system here without triggering the alarm.”

“How?” Black Canary questioned.

“We don’t know.” Wonder Woman said, “However, Batman wants me to have a ‘conversation’ with Polybius.”

“Polybius wouldn’t betray us!” Wonder Girl spoke up.

“We’re not saying he did!” Wonder Woman quickly defended, “At least knowingly would. However, considering that at the time it went down, he was the only person here, that doesn’t look good for him.”

“Loyalty is the biggest thing for Polybius.” Canary stated, “I refuse to believe that my own son would betray us willingly.”

“Which is why I’m going to have a quick ‘conversation’ with him.” Wonder Woman said, “I honestly agree with both of you as Polybius is one of the most loyal people I have ever met, and the very last one I would expect to betray us. However, you both know how Batman is, and this situation does look bad for him.”

“It does.” Canary agreed, “Let’s go find him.”

“Wait.” Wonder Woman said, “You mean he’s not in his room?”

“No.” Canary said, “The two of us were getting ready to go look for him.”

“He has to be in there.” Wonder Woman said, “I’ve already checked everywhere else in and around Mount Justice. He has to be in there as he isn’t going anywhere far in that wheelchair of his.”

“Well, he’s not there.” Canary assured her, “We just checked.”

“Then how about we call him.” Wonder Girl offered, “Let me go get my phone real quick.”

The trio then went back to Polybius’s room, and Wonder Girl was quick to power on her phone. However, once the device powered up, she saw that she had a text message from Polybius from around 8:30 the previous night, which would have been right before she started drinking.

“Huh?” Wonder Girl said, looking at the message, “Polybius texted me a video last night.”

Opening up the video, the three watched it as a collective look of horror came over their faces.

The video started up with Polybius bound to his wheelchair, bound by vines and a plant up his nose. Blood could be seen dripping from the nostril that the plant wasn’t up, and while he didn’t look scared, he was clearly uncomfortable.

“Hey, Jerk-off League!” Harley Quinn started the video, “We’ve got your janitor here! And if you don’t do what we say, we’re gonna crush his brain with the plant we’ve got up his nose! Show ’em!”

The three felt shivers go down their spine as the plant in Polybius’s nose began to move, and Polybius let out a painful scream as he began to violently thrash in his seat in an attempt to break free, but to no avail.

The video moved back to Harley rattling off a cellphone number and saying, “And if you try to rescue him, or do anything we don’t like, we’ll kill him!”

The video then ended with Harley manically laughing.

Meanwhile, back at Ivy’s apartment, Harley, who just so happened to be looking at Polybius’s phone at the same time, saw that Wonder Girl saw the video.

“Polybius!” Harley shouted, “Wonda Girl has seen the video!”

“Oh, FINALLY!” Polybius shouted, “Only took them ten fucking hours! Gosh, it’s almost lunchtime!”

“Hooray!” Ivy said, “Now you can stop being mad.”

Polybius let out a long sigh of frustration.

“Ten hours.” Polybius told himself, “Ten freaking hours.”

Polybius was feeling extremely betrayed at that moment in time. He had been repeatedly assured by his mother, Wonder Girl, and the Justice League as a whole that he could call them at any time, and they would pick up. However, the one time he needed them the most, he had to wait ten hours to get a response. He couldn’t believe them, or the League. That email address he had them send the video to was also to the Team’s email, which was overseen by the Justice League. And while Polybius was aware that the League tended to let the Team handle their own emails, he would have figured one from him would have set off a few alarms. But he clearly guessed wrong. Clearly, they didn’t care about him enough to bother answering him.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Claudia used her towel to dry off her body as she stepped out of the shower. As she did this, Irene walked into the showers as well.

“Claudia!” Irene greeted, “Gosh, it’s been too long since I’ve seen that body!”

“Oh, hardy har, har.” Claudia brushed off.

“And that last time I did, it was shaved.” Irene commented, ignoring Claudia’s sarcastic remark, “Gosh girl, you’ve let yourself go!”

“Excuse me?” Claudia questioned, “I’ve let myself go? I’m not fat!”

“Girl, you are not fat! In fact, you are a bit skinny, but you look like a Sasquatch with them legs!” Irene stated, pointing at your legs.

“Like I care!” Claudia countered, “I’m happy single and don’t want anybody right now. So why should I pour an hour into shaving my legs when I wear loose-fitting jeans all day?”

“Well, what if you see something you like?” Irene asked, “Ain’t nobody gonna be wanting to eat that with all that hair in the way.”

“Again, I wear underwear, and nobody’s looking at it.” Claudia said as she began to redress herself, “I do not care!”

“Well, then you need to get back in the game!” Irene said.

“Oh what, are you gonna try and pick me up again?” Claudia asked, “Sorry, but no thanks.”

“That’s fine, I’ve gotta girlfriend anyway, and I know you lean more on the straight side. That’s great!” Irene said, “Maybe I can find you a cute guy or something.”

“Oh, please.” Claudia waved off, “My work is too important for a relationship or sex. Especially sex.”

“Then I’ll find you a guy who doesn’t want sex.” Irene said.

“Yeah, right!” Claudia said, “I’m pretty sure that point right there is a turn off for all men!”

“You sure about that?” Irene asked, “What if they were castrated and have no drive?”

“Most men then.” Claudia corrected herself, “And it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever find one.”

“Don’t be so sure.” Irene said, “Hell, I bet you I could find one!”

“I’m not challenging you.” Claudia said, “I know you well enough to know that you’ll pull some Tinder BS and get me something, and you know how I feel about online dating.”

“Then let’s go out to a bar, girl!” Irene said, “You shave yourself and get cleaned up, and you’ll look as good as you did when we met.”

“Not interested.” Claudia pressed.

“Fine.” Irene conceded, “But we should at least hang out sometime, catch up, you know!”

“No.” Claudia said, “My work is too important for that. My work is the most important thing to me!”

“Oh, I see how it is.” Irene started, “Well then, challenge accepted!”

“Challenge?” Claudia questioned, “What? No! No challenge!”

“I know!” Irene teased, “It’s isn’t.”

Claudia sighed as she finished getting dressed.

“I’ll see you later.” Claudia said as she walked out and began heading back to her office.

“You sure will!” Irene shouted as Claudia exited.

Claudia shook her head as she made her way back to her office, where she could finally get back to work.

Two hours later, the entire Justice League had been summoned for an emergency meeting. The only people aware of the situation at the start of the session were Black Canary, Wonder Woman, and Batman, who were the last three to enter the room.

“Dinah?” Green Arrow questioned, seeing how visibly distraught she was, “What’s going on?”

The other Leaguers who were unaware of the situation also took note of how distraught she was, as well as the general look of concern that covered Wonder Woman’s face.

“Batman, what’s going on?” Superman asked.

“I’ve called this emergency meeting of the Justice League.” Batman started, “We now know that Polybius has been captured by Harley Quinn with the assistance of Poison Ivy, and more, unidentified individuals.”

A collective look of shock and horror quickly made its way around the room.

“How did this happen!?” Green Arrow demanded.

“As of right now, we know that roughly an hour to an hour and a half after Wonder Girl left him alone, someone on the outside disabled the security system. From there, she and Poison Ivy made their way inside, likely hoping to find our proteges and take them. However, when they found that our proteges were not there, they turned their attention to Polybius, who was the only person there when the two broke in.”

“And why are we only finding out about this now!?” Aquaman demanded.

“The video informing us of his capture was only sent to three places.” Batman explained, “Black Canary’s phone, Wonder Girl’s phone, and the Team’s computer.”

“Don’t we have oversight on that last one from up here?” Captain Atom questioned.

“We do.” Red Tornado spoke up, “However, because we have agreed that we want to give the Team some autonomy, I did not look at their email while on monitor duty yesterday.”

“Okay.” Hawkman started, “But what’s Black Canary’s excuse?”

“Mine?” Black Canary questioned.

“Hey!” Green Arrow piped up at the same time, “Back off!”

“It’s fine, Oliver.” Black Canary assured him, “Last night, I got drunk with Green Arrow, and we had some fun.”

“So you can’t pick up the phone for your own son?” Hawkwoman followed up, “What mother doesn’t pick up the phone for their own kid?”

“A bad one.” Hawkman added.

“Hey! Leave her alone!” Green Arrow called over the table.

“And what about Wonder Girl?” Hawkman followed up, “What’s her excuse?”

“Polybius sent her away.” Wonder Woman spoke up in defense of her protege, “Polybius encouraged her to go out so he could get some alone time. Of which, he has had none since he came back from the hospital after the attack.”

“That doesn’t explain why she didn’t answer him.” Hawkman said.

“From our understanding, at the time she received the text, she had begun to consume alcohol. And by that point, Polybius was long gone.”

“So she was drunk?” Hawkman questioned, “Pathetic!”

“Let’s stop pointing fingers and figure out a plan of action.” Superman spoke up to reel in the group.

“Agreed.” Batman said, “With how much Polybius knows about us, the inner workings of the League, and his background, he is now our highest priority.”

“You forgot to add that he is our friend.” Captain Marvel added.

“That is secondary.” Batman said, “However, once we get Polybius back, we need to discuss his role in the League.”

“How can that be secondary?” Captain Marvel questioned.

“I’ll show you.” Batman said, “Raise your hand if Polybius knows your secret identity.”

Everyone in the room proceeded to raise their hands.

“Keep them up if Polybius knows something about you that could lead to your defeat, downfall, or even death.” Batman followed up.

Everyone kept their hands raised.

“I see.” Captain Marvel said, realizing how grave the situation was.

“So what else do we know?” Aquaman questioned, “Do we know where he is?”

“I have narrowed the possible locations down. However, there is another problem.” Batman said.

“And what’s that?” Flash asked.

“Harley Quinn is also threatening to kill Polybius if we attempt anything and do not abide by her demands.” Wonder Woman answered.

“And what are they?” Superman asked.

“We don’t know.” Batman said, “The video sent to us only had the warning and a number to contact them through.”

“Then what are we waiting for!?” Green Arrow spoke up, “Let’s talk to them and find out what they want?”

“We don’t negotiate with criminals.” Wonder Woman coldly stated.

“This is Polybius we’re talking about.” Green Arrow said.

“Exactly! Polybius!” Wonder Woman followed up, “I know from personal experience that they will have a hard time breaking him if they even can.”

“I’m not saying we negotiate.” Green Arrow said, “But if we know what their demands are, it can help us create a plan on how to get him back.”

“Hold on, go back one second.” Captain Marvel said, “Wonder Woman, you think they’re torturing Polybius?”

There was a noticeable shudder from most of the League members when those words were said.

“Captain Marvel brings up a good point.” Batman said, “Polybius may have already spilled his guts, or they’ve found a way to get the information without interrogating him.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Captain Marvel spoke up, “Are they torturing him? Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are your villains.”

“The Joker has to be involved too!” Captain Atom spoke up, “There’s no doubt that they are torturing him right now!”

“Actually, Joker is locked up in Arkham Asylum.” Batman said, “As of right now, it seems that Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy acted alone.”

“But are they torturing him?” Captain Marvel pressed.

“I wouldn’t put it past them.” Batman said.

“Then what are we sitting around here for!?” Hawkman demanded, “Let us set out and find them and put an end to this!”

“Right now, Polybius’s life is at too much risk for us to do anything.” Batman stated, “And right now, we all have to assume we are compromised. We don’t know what Polybius has given up.”

“I think I can answer that.” Canary spoke up, “The way Polybius resists torture, is he only gives nuggets of information at a time.”

“How is that resisting?” Aquaman questioned.

“The nuggets he gives are, on the surface, seemingly invaluable knowledge.” Canary explained, “Say, for example, I was raped and now suffer from PTSD because of it. What he will do is just tell them that I have gone through trauma. On the surface, this seems like a very exploitable thing to use. On top of that, he’ll butter it up by making it seem like he’s giving them invaluable information when in reality, he won’t mention that I am suffering from PTSD or what even caused it in the first place. And without knowing either of those parts, while they could find out through some digging, it’ll take them a while. Long enough for Polybius or us to take action.”

“So then the question becomes, who are they most interested in?” Flash questioned.

“I would say Batman most likely.” Superman said, looking over at the caped crusader.

“While that is what normal Polybius would do, you forget that he’s injured.” Batman spoke up, disregarding what Flash and Superman said, “In his injured state, he is very hard-pressed to make any sort of effective stand against them.”

“Polybius is very skilled with his words.” Wonder Woman countered, “And the injury hurt his leg, not his mind or voice.”

“Then, right now, all we can do is hope that he can resist them.” Batman said, “However, until further notice, our highest priority is finding and recovering Polybius.”

“What about the Team?” Aquaman questioned, “How have they reacted to the situation?”

“As of right now, they are unaware.” Batman said.

“You can’t leave them in the dark on this!” Wonder Woman sharply countered, “I mean, come on! Polybius lives with them!”

“They will be made aware of the situation once more information is gathered.” Batman assured the room, “However, if we tell them now, that is all they will focus on, and they have more pressing issues they need to deal with themselves before this gets on their plate.”

“And what about Wonder Girl?” Martian Manhunter questioned, “How is she taking this?”

“Not well.” Wonder Woman said, “She and Polybius are very close, and she’s blaming herself for it.”

“And what is she doing now?” Hawkwoman questioned.

“Exactly what we’re all about to be doing.” Wonder Woman said, “Finding Polybius.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't be afraid to let me know what you think of it, and as always, have a good one!


	16. Chapter 16: She Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team realizes something big is going on, but aren't initially told what. The theorize it has to do with Polybius as they have multiple clues pointing to that, but aren't sure exactly what.
> 
> Irene and Chief Z meanwhile are extremely upset over the apparent cancelation of their project by higher ups. Chief Z says he has friends in high places, and assures her that he will talk to them to see if they can get this revived. Chief Z pushes Irene to go talk to Claudia again while he tries to work his magic, and she decides to do that after going to the store.
> 
> Wonder Girl meanwhile, is in complete disarray. She is exceptionally upset and blames herself for the kidnapping. She works tirelessly to see if she can find Polybius in Gotham, but no luck. She is then confronted by Diana late in the night and the two talk about him. During this conversation, Diana reveals that she knows just much Donna loves Polybius, and has for a long time. She gives her support for the two entering a relationship.
> 
> After a long day of searching, Dinah is extremely distraught over the whole situation. Oliver comforts her, assuring her that Polybius will be alright.

_Chapter 16_

_She Knows..._

“Okay, so why did you call us all in here?” Aqualad opened up.

The Team, under the influence of Kid Flash, had gathered in the bioship as to not be overheard by the League. Nobody was sure what was going on but knew that there was something that they weren’t being told.

“Alright, so hear me out.” Kid Flash said, “Earlier today, I saw Red Tornado going through our email and deleting one permanently.”

“Okay?” Artemis questioned, “What does this prove?”

“Has anyone noticed how the League seems to be very stressed today?” Kid Flash followed up.

“Yeah, Black Canary didn’t seem like she was in good shape for the two seconds I saw her.” Superboy spoke up, “What are you trying to get at?”

“I think something’s happened.” Kid Flash said, “Something big.”

“Something they’re not telling us.” Robin added.

“Yeah!” Kid Flash confirmed.

“And you brought us here so they wouldn’t overhear us?” Aqualad asked just for clarification.

“Yes.” Kid Flash answered.

“Alright.” Aqualad said, “Does anyone have any idea as to what might be going on?”

Nobody spoke up as they were all entirely in the dark about what was going on. This then prompted Aqualad to let out a small sigh of defeat before changing tactics.

“Let’s try this.” Aqualad said, “What clues do we have?”

“Red Tornado deleting an email, the entire League distraught, and Black Canary really worried.” Robin said, “If it weren’t for the fact that Polybius was in his room right now, I’d say it would have something to do with him.”

“Well, hold on now.” Miss Martian spoke up, “Maybe it does have something to do with Polybius. Maybe his condition worsened, and he had to be taken back to the hospital.”

“Naw.” Kid Flash brushed off, “We’d know about it if that was the case. We would have heard something!”

“Would we?” Superboy questioned.

“Yeah!” Kid Flash said, “Why would they hide something like that from us?”

“Because we currently have a lot on our plate.” Aqualad stated.

“How about we pay him a visit.” Superboy stated, “See if he’s in his room or not.”

“Are you sure he’ll be there?” Miss Martian asked, “He seems to be eager to get out and about more lately now that he isn’t confined to his bed.”

“And what about Wonder Girl?” Robin asked, “Has anybody seen her?”

“I did this morning.” Artemis said, “She went out last night without Polybius.”

“Which would have left Polybius alone here.” Aqualad said.

“Yeah, but she seemed fine this morning.” Artemis said, “Well, as fine as a hungover, dirty, skunk butt smelling, Amazon could be.”

“So does that mean something happened to him this morning then?” Kid Flash asked.

“We would have known.” Miss Martian said, “It would have caused a lot of commotion.”

“Not necessarily.” Robin said, “We were all pretty late in getting up this morning.”

“Or maybe Polybius was the mole!” Kid Flash piped up.

“Doubtful.” Aqualad countered, “If he was, he would take more interest in our missions, as well as those of the Justice League. However, he seems to be more content with just doing his job rather than getting information out of us.”

“Plus, I doubt Polybius would either knowingly or willingly betray us.” Superboy added.

“Still, with him being the ONLY person here last night, you’ve gotta admit, that seems a little suspicious.” Kid Flash said.

“I still find it hard to believe he would betray his own mother or Wonder Girl.” Artemis stated, “I’ve had a chance to sit down and talk with Wonder Girl about how she feels towards Polybius and how he feels towards her. And honestly, I don’t see him doing anything to hurt her.”

Kid Flash sighed in defeat.

“Why don’t we go pay Polybius a visit.” Superboy said, standing up, “Perhaps we can get some answers out of him.”

The Team nodded their agreement and began making their way towards Polybius’s room. However, before they reached Polybius’s room, they ran into Zatanna.

“Zatanna!” Artemis greeted for the group, “What are you doing here?”

“My dad dropped me off here.” Zatanna explained.

“Why?” Miss Martian followed up.

“I was hoping you guys could answer that.” Zatanna said, “All I know is something big has happened. Really big. And the whole League is freaking out over it.”

“We were just talking about that.” Aqualad said, “We’re currently headed to consult Polybius to see if we can get any answers.”

“Do you think he would know?” Zatanna asked, “I’ve never met him, so I wouldn’t know.”

“We actually think it may have something to do with him.” Robin explained.

“Why?” Zatanna asked, “Isn’t he just like a janitor?”

“His mother is Black Canary.” Aqualad explained, “And he has very close ties to all of the League’s members.”

“Wait, Black Canary’s his mom!?” Zatanna asked, “No way! She’s not old enough!”

“She’s his adoptive mother.” Artemis explained.

“Oh…” Zatanna replied, “That makes sense.”

“Trust me, we all had the same reaction when we found out as well.” Robin assured her, “Now come on, let’s not waste time!”

The Team and Zatanna then made their way down to Polybius’s room. They knocked on the door and were surprised when no one answered.

“No one’s in there.” Miss Martian spoke up, “I’m not getting any physic readings from inside.”

“Good.” Zatanna said as she opened the door.

“Woah, hey, slow down!” Superboy spoke up, “Polybius made it very clear he doesn’t want us in his room uninvited!”

“Well, maybe there’s some answers inside.” Zatanna said, “It couldn’t hurt to have a look around.”

“We should not invade his privacy.” Aqualad concurred, “That was one of the big things Polybius pushed when he arrived here.”

“Fine.” Zatanna said, closing the door, “So what now?”

As the Team and Zatanna discussed a new course of action meanwhile, Irene and Chief Z were enjoying a well-deserved coffee break. However, neither one of them were happy as their work had just gone down the drain.

“I can’t believe the top!” Irene complained, “Putting the nails in our little baby’s coffin-like that! Ugh!”

“Calm down.” Chief Z assured her, “I’ve got close ties to several heads of various departments. I’m going to see what strings I can pull to revive our project.”

“Like they’ll change their minds.” Irene brushed off.

“They’ve listened to the heads before.” Chief Z pointed out, “It may take some nagging, but this project of ours is really something different.”

“I know!” Irene brushed off, “And I hate how it’s getting shut down after one disappointing test! Ugh! If only we had used a better brain!”

“And I’ll make sure to sell that point.” Chief Z said, “But for now, why don’t you head to the store and get us some stuff. Get your mind off this.”

“I tend to speed when I’m angry.” Irene said, “And right now, I’m freaking livid!”

“Then drive to some relaxing music.” Chief Z said.

“Like that’ll work.” Irene brushed off.

“Then go stare at a pair of boobs!” Chief Z followed up, “I’ve read online that staring at boobs helps reduce stress.”

“Yeah, stare at my own tits in the mirror.” Irene sarcastically brushed off, “That’ll help me.”

“I’m talking about going to places like Reddit or Pornhub or a simple Google search for crying out loud!”

“Eh…” Irene replied as she wasn’t the biggest fan of internet porn.

“Then go hook up with Claudia!” Chief Z added, “I know you’re still drooling over her! And with your girlfriend away, I won’t tell anybody.”

“Hell, I’d dump my girlfriend to get back with Claudia.” Irene commented.

“Then go get with her fool!” Chief Z shouted, “I won’t say anything.”

“But Claudia doesn’t want to hook up.” Irene said, “Says her work is too important.”

“Well, clearly, you need to work your magic on her.” Chief Z said, “Cause you’ve got everything you need to win her over.”

“I know I do.” Irene said, “Only issue is, she leans more on the stright side, and I lean more on the gay side.”

“So?” Chief Z questioned.

“So, it’s gonna be a little harder for me to pull her back over.” Irene said, “Plus, today, I saw her in the shower, and let me tell you, she has not shaved her legs or her cat in a good long while.”

“That is such a shame.” Chief Z said, “Sounds like she’s not taking care of herself.”

“Honestly, one thing I saw that I didn’t point out to her is how skinny she’s gotten.” Irene said, “She’s, uh, she’s definitely lost some weight. And she wasn’t fat when we were together.”

“Does she look like a holocaust survivor?” Chief Z questioned.

“No.” Irene answered, “But she does need some meat on her bones for her own health.”

“Then why don’t you stop by McDonald’s on the way home.” Chief Z offered, “Get her a Quarter Pounder and tell her to eat it.”

“She doesn’t like surprises.” Irene said, “Plus, that’s kinda rude.”

“If she needs to eat, she needs to eat!” Chief Z said.

“She does.” Irene said, “Doesn’t mean I should do that, though.”

“You should.” Chief Z said, “Now how about you run off to the store while I go try to work some magic.”

“Sure…” Irene sighed as she began making her way out of the room.

“And don’t forget!” Chief Z called to her, “It’s crab legs for dinner tonight!”

Meanwhile, Wonder Girl sat on top of a Gotham skyscraper defeated. She had scoured the city in a desperate search for Polybius after recovering from the initial shock of what she saw in the video. However, despite her best attempt and endless searching, she found nothing. Not even a single sign of where he could be, or that he was even in the city if he was even in it at all.

“He has to be here…” Wonder Girl mumbled to herself.

Wonder Girl’s initial shock of seeing the video was similar to Black Canary’s. Both women were exceptionally startled by the footage and were upset over how long it took them to respond. Wonder Girl personally found it incredibly ridiculous how it all happened. How everything just fell into the exact right place to let this go undiscovered for as long as it did. For all she knew, with the ten hours it took, Harley and Ivy could have dragged Polybius all the way across the ocean by now.

“Donna!” The voice of Wonder Woman called from above her.

Looking up, Wonder Girl indeed saw Wonder Woman slowly descending towards her.

“Hey Diana.” Donna replied in a defeated tone.

Donna then looked down towards the streets below, and Diana took a seat next to her.

“Any luck?” Diana asked.

“No.” Donna replied, “Anyone else found anything?”

“No.” Diana answered.

“Great.” Donna said, “Polybius is out there somewhere, probably getting tortured for information the enemy could use to destroy us, and we don’t have the slightest idea as to where to start!”

“Polybius will be fine.” Diana assured her, “He’s a tough guy. He’ll pull through.”

“It’s my fault he’s even in that mess, to begin with!” Donna countered, “If I just hadn’t gone out, or hadn’t gotten drunk, I could have done something!”

“Or maybe it would be you getting tortured right now.” Diana countered.

“But Polybius is just a civilian.” Donna countered, “I’m a hero. I’m the one who volunteers for this, not him.”

“Ture.” Diana said, “But Polybius knew the risks coming to work for us. And we both know for a fact that he can handle whatever torture anyone could possibly throw at him. Remember where and how we found him?”

“I know…” Donna said, “But I still feel responsible for it.”

“Look, Polybius encouraged you to go out.” Diana said, “He knew the risks involved with that. And with him being in a wheelchair, he knew that he was next to defenseless should anything happen. But he still wanted you to go out and have a good time.”

“I doubt he could have known this was going to happen.” Donna said, “And I’m a terrible friend for not responding to him for as long as I did.”

“Now don’t say that.” Diana countered.

“But I am!” Donna said, “I’ve promised Polybius that no matter what happens if he needs help to call me whenever, and I broke that promise!”

“And what could you have done drunk?” Diana asked, “Because I can tell you what Polybius would say.”

“I could have done something!” Donna countered.

“Polybius would say that you would have embarrassed yourself.” Diana told her, “For as drunk as you were last night, all you would have done is fallen over and passed out.”

“Better than doing nothing.” Donna countered.

“I know Polybius would say otherwise.” Diana said.

“I know he would too.” Donna agreed, “I just wish I could have done something! I shouldn’t have even been drinking in the first place.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.” Diana agreed, “And while normally I should scold you for underage drinking, even though you drink on Themyscria, because of the situation at hand, I’m not going to. You’ve got enough on your plate to worry about right now. And I know that even if I tried to hold you back, you’d always find a way to get to Polybius.”

“I sure would.” Donna said, “I do love Polybius.”

Donna quickly covered her mouth as she realized what she just said. A tidal wave of fear rushed through her as she revealed to Diana her true feelings for Polybius. Donna quickly tried to prepare an excuse in her head to give for what she had just said. However, she struggled to put words together even in her own mind with how much fear was running through her.

Diana, instead of turning angry and berating her like Donna had always expected to happen, she instead let out a small laugh.

“About time you came clean.” Diana said in a surprisingly optimistic tone.

The fear in Donna was quickly replaced by confusion as she didn’t expect Diana to react this way. Her older sister let the moment drag for a little bit before she began talking.

“Donna, I’ve known for a long time that you’re in love with him.” Diana stated.

“Y- You d- did?” Donna questioned, still in shock.

“I do.” Diana confirmed, holding up the lasso of truth, “I’ve just never said anything about it because I didn’t want to interfere with what you two had going. I mean, seriously, why do you think that I am so okay with you spending as much time with Polybius as you do?”

“I- I just always assumed that because you had such a good friendship with Polybius, you were okay with it.” Donna answered, stumbling over her words, “I mean, you allow him to get away with things nobody else could with you!”

“My friendship with Polybius has nothing to do with it.” Diana told her, “I just wanted you two to come out naturally about it and not force it.”

“O- Okay.” Donna said, “So, you’re not mad?”

“Mad!?” Diana questioned, “Never! Honestly, out of all of the men I’ve met, Polybius really stands out. He’s more intelligent than most, if not the entire League. He knows how to fight and take care of not only himself but those around him as well. But most importantly, he knows how to take care of you and brings out the best in you. Honestly, whenever you are with him, I see a whole different you come out, and I love it. I want to see more of that you come out.”

“R- Really?” Donna questioned.

“Really.” Diana confirmed, “And, don’t take this next statement the wrong way. I don’t mean to make you feel like you have any competition, but if I didn’t have Steve, and you two weren’t in love, then I would honestly strongly consider him for myself.”

Donna didn’t know how to respond to that and initially just stared at her older sister. However, her mind quickly jumped to a different subject.

“W- What about our other sisters!? Or mother!?” Donna asked, “She’ll kill you and me if she finds out about this!”

“She’s too… Oh, what’s the term Polybius uses?” Diana questioned, “Narrow-minded?”

“Yeah, that’s the term.” Donna assured her.

“Right.” Diana said, “Well, as I imagine Polybius would say, she, as well as most of our sisters, are too narrow-minded for man’s world. So don’t worry, because they won’t find out. Hell, they don’t even know about Steve and me.”

“So you’re not gonna tell them?” Donna questioned.

“Of course not!” Diana said, “I’m not going to do anything to get in between two.”

Donna then felt a wave of joy rush over her as she smiled. She then happily wrapped her arms around Diana.

“Thank you!” Donna said as Diana returned the hug.

“It’s alright, little sister.” Diana said, “I just want you to be happy.”

After sharing a hug, the two broke off, and Donna looked out at the city.

“Why don’t we have another sweep of the city.” Diana said, “I’m sure there were a few spots you missed.”

“Yeah!” Donna said happily, “I’m sure somebody around here has to know something.”

As the two took off, what they didn’t realize was that just a couple stories below them were Polybius, Harley, and Ivy. After Polybius had calmed down and logic won, he got right back to working on the chores he had been given. Once he completed those, the trio, bored out of their minds, began playing board and card games. Right now, the group was playing Uno Flip and was on the dark side.

“Uno!” Ivy called out.

“Goddamnit!” Polybius cursed.

“Ha!” Ivy said, “About time I won!”

“Now you haven’t won yet.” Harley said, “Polybius, heart of the cards?”

“Wait.” Ivy begged.

“Heart of the cards!” Polybius confirmed.

“Stop it!” Ivy warned.

“Heart of the cards!” Harley shouted as she slammed down a plus five.

“No!” Ivy shouted, “Polybius, don’t you dare!”

“Heart of my cards!” Polybius defied her, slamming down another plus five.

“Gah!” Ivy shouted in frustration as she began drawing cards, “And it was a wild too!”

Polybius and Harley both laughed at his misfortune.

“Oh shut up! You’re just jealous I set that up so well!” Ivy told them.

“Oh, it’s not that bad!” Polybius countered, waving his thick deck in the air, “It’s not like you have half the freaking deck!”

Harley laughed at Polybius’s sharp counter.

“I can’t even see all my cards!” Polybius complained.

As their game dragged on, meanwhile, Black Canary was struggling and failing to calm down. Her thoughts were with her adopted son Polybius. She was on a downward spiral as every conceivable method of torture she knew of was in her mind and being used on Polybius. It was so bad for her, she forced herself to keep her eyes open, so she didn’t have to see it. 

This, however, was not doing her any favors as she, like the rest of the League, had spent the day trying to get answers about Polybius. Despite their best efforts, no one had turned up anything on him yet. And with the day over and everyone was exhausted, most of them were calling it in for the night.

Initially, Black Canary didn’t want to, as the life of her adopted son was far more important to her than her own health. However, ultimately, it was Green Arrow who convinced her to go home and rest.

But now, she found herself sitting and looking out of a window in the apartment she had brought Polybius home to years ago. However, she wasn’t alone, as Green Arrow had accompanied her to her apartment to keep an eye on her.

While Green Arrow didn’t think Canary was going to do anything bad to herself, he did know how much she cared for Polybius. So, in an effort to try and help her sleep, he made a quick trip down the street and picked up some sleeping medication.

“Hey Dinah.” Oliver said as he entered her bedroom, “I’ve got some…”

Oliver was initially surprised to find the room empty. However, he brushed it off and went to the next place he expected her to be.

Just a short distance away, Oliver knocked on the door that led to Polybius’s old room.

While Polybius had moved out when he was eighteen, as he sought his independence, Black Canary had always kept a room for him. She assured him that no matter what happened, he would never have to go homeless and always would have a place to say with her.

“Dinah?” Oliver questioned as he walked in.

Polybius’s room, much like his room in the cave, was rather bare. It had a bed, an empty desk, a shelf with a handful of his possession he had left behind for his mother, and a rocking chair. While it had been in Polybius’s apartment by his window, when he moved into the cave, he gave it to his mother as it wasn’t the same without a window in his opinion. Also, on the wall above his bed was a picture of himself and his mother as well to give the room a little life.

Just as he predicted, he saw his girlfriend sitting in Polybius’s rocking chair, looking out the only window in the room in the dark. She didn’t acknowledge his presence as he walked in and approached her, but wasn’t startled when he tapped her.

“Hey.” Oliver said, “I went and got some sleeping meds down at the CVS. Here.”

Oliver then handed her the pill. She took it without looking at him but didn’t put it in her mouth. She instead held it in her hand and just continued to stare out the window.

“I’m sure he’s alright.” Oliver told her, “He’s a tough guy. He can handle himself and whatever they can throw at him.”

“I know…” Dinah started, “But I can’t help but think about what Hawkwoman said earlier today. About what mother doesn’t pick up for their own kid.”

“Of, fuck her.” Oliver boldly stated, “Who cares what she thinks? Dinah, you’re not a bad mother. Polybius would be the first to say that if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I know.” Dinah said, “But I can’t lose Polybius. I know he’s not my flesh and blood, but he’s still my son! If he dies because I couldn’t pick up the phone-”

“Dinah!” Oliver said, “You’re not a bad mother. And by the time that call came through, Polybius was already kidnapped, and there was nothing you could have done.”

“You’re right.” Dinah agreed, “But I still feel terrible about not picking up.”

“It’s in the past.” Oliver told her, “You’re a therapist, you know this.”

Dinah didn’t respond as she kept looking out of the window. However, she did put the pill in her mouth and swallowed it without any water.

“Come on.” Oliver said, taking her hand, “Let’s get you to bed.”

Oliver wasn’t quite sure why Dinah acted like this when something serious happened to Polybius. To him, it seemed that all of her training in psychology went out of the window when it came to him. However, he never pressed it as he was slightly afraid of the answer he might get. That, and he didn’t want to push those boundaries as she had made it very clear when they first got together that Polybius took high priority over him. And he didn’t want any negative consequences to come from that, so he left it alone.

Dinah hesitantly followed him out of Polybius’s room and into her own. Fortunately for her, it didn’t take long for the medicine to kick in and for her to fall asleep. However, her dreams were dominated with nightmares of what horrors her son was facing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 16. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think about it, and as always, have a good one!


	17. Chapter 17: Oversight

_Chapter 17_

_Oversight..._

Claudia looked up at the corkboard hanging above her desk and scanned for an empty space. However, it was so full of papers, there was no room on it for her to pin up yet another article.

“Ugh!” Claudia groaned as she set down the article in her hands on her desk, “Now I gotta freaking reorganize this…”

As Claudia started to take down old articles, a knock on her door stopped her from getting far.

“Hello?” Claudia called out.

“Hey Claudia!” The clearly annoyed voice of Irene called, “May I come in?”

Claudia was initially confused at hearing her voice. Claudia had believed that Irene didn’t know where her office was and was surprised to hear her at it. However, she brushed off this confusion as her mind began to analyze Irene’s tone. Claudia questioned herself whether or not she really wanted to listen to Irene complain about something.

“Hey, I’ve got some stuff for you!” Irene added.

Claudia sighed.

“Come in!” Claudia replied as she sank down into her chair.

Irene then opened the door and walked in carrying a few bags. She began to approach Claudia but was stopped when the office owner raised a hand.

“Please close the door.” Claudia requested.

“Oh!” Irene said, “Sure thing.”

Irene stepped back and closed the door behind her, and then moved to the small table Claudia had in her office. Irene set the bags down on the table and began to go through them.

“So what did you bring me?” Claudia asked.

“Well, I know you’re a fan of energy drinks, so I got you a pack of those.” Irene said as she pulled out the item.

“Aw sweet!” Claudia said, “Exactly what I needed!”

Claudia then rolled over in her chair, opened the box, quickly took one out, and cracked it open. She then took a huge swig of the beverage and let out a happy sigh.

“That’s the good stuff.” Claudia said in a satisfied tone.

“Well, I also bought you some food.” Irene said, shifting over to her McDonald’s bag, “Here. A Big Mac because you need a lot of meat.”

“Me?” Claudia asked as she took the burger.

“Yes you!” Irene said, “Gez Claudia, it’s clear you don’t take care of yourself! Hell, when was the last time you went down to the cafeteria for an actual meal?”

“Uh… Good question?” Claudia tried to brush off.

“Exactly.” Irene said.

“Oh, I’m fine.” Claudia assured her, “I live off snacks, and whatever else gets tossed my way.”

“Claudia!” Irene scolded.

“What?” Claudia asked as she began to eat her burger.

“You’re not taking care of yourself!” Irene sharply scolded her, “I mean, have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?”

“You pointed that out to me yesterday.” Claudia stated.

“I’m not talking about the hair!” Irene said, “Claudia, you don’t look healthy.”

“But I feel fine!” Claudia countered.

“But you’re not!” Irene said, “I didn’t say this yesterday, but you’ve lost a lot of weight since we were together. And you weren’t fat then!”

“I know my hips have slimmed up a little.” Claudia said, looking down at her hips.

“And everywhere else.” Irene added.

“What, you think my ass has gotten smaller?” Claudia asked.

“You’re missing the point!” Irene shouted before taking up a much calmer tone, “Claudia, I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine.” Claudia said.

“Stop saying that.” Irene said, “Take a break! I mean, shoot, look at this place!”

“What?” Claudia asked, looking around her office, “I just cleaned it yesterday.”

“And it looks like you live in here.” Irene said,

“That’s because I do.” Claudia replied.

“Girl, you need to get out more!” Irene told her, “You can’t live like this! You’re, what, in your thirties now? If you don’t enjoy yourself, you’re gonna hit that phase where your whole body is gonna break down, and you’ll be like ‘Damn, wish I had more fun when I was young.’”

“I’ll have fun once entity 82 is back in containment.” Claudia countered.

“Oh come on!” Irene said, “82 hasn’t done anything in years!”

“Irene.” Claudia said, taking up a more serious tone, “We all know somebody in this organization that entity 82 has killed. And the fact that it not only escaped but then fell off the face of the Earth is the most alarming thing I can think of! Entity 82 is the most powerful thing we keep under lock and swallowed key. The fact that this isn’t the Organization’s highest priority terrifies me.”

“But Claudia-” Irene started but was quickly cut off.

“And if the Organization won’t do what is necessary and right to bring this thing back into containment, then I will. No matter the costs to me. Because so long as this is my highest priority, then it will be a lot harder for 82 to make any sort of moves that would go unnoticed by the rest of the world!”

Irene sighed and shook her head.

“Is that really what you think?” Irene asked.

“It’s what I believe.” Claudia said.

“And what happens when 82 shows up, and you’re in no condition to do anything about it because your health has deteriorated so much, you can’t even walk?” Irene asked.

“So long as I have my mind, 82 will never win.” Claudia declared.

“I see.” Irene said.

“I’m glad you do.” Claudia said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”

Irene turned to leave but stopped herself as she remembered the other reason she came to talk to her ex-girlfriend.

“Say, before I go, can I ask you a favor?” Irene asked.

“Will it interfere with my work?” Claudia asked.

“No, it shouldn’t.” Irene answered.

“Then what?” Claudia asked.

“I know you have close ties to the higher-ups.” Irene said, “And they’ve put the nail in mine and Chief Z’s project. Could you, please, talk to them.”

Claudia paused for a moment as she thought about the proposition.

“Have you done a test?” Claudia asked.

“Yeah!” Irene piped up, “I can show you the results on your computer real quick if you want to see them!”

“Go ahead.” Claudia said.

Irene then jumped on Claudia’s computer and quickly pulled up the results of the test. Claudia analyzed them carefully and smiled.

“This looks promising.” Claudia commented.

“I know, right!?” Irene said, “Disappointing, but promising.”

“Yeah…” Claudia agreed as her mind began to work.

“So?” Irene asked, hopeful that she would get the help she needed, “What do you say?”

“I will.” Claudia agreed.

“Yes!” Irene cheered.

“But!” Claudia spoke up, “On one condition.”

“Anything!” Irene said, “Please, this project is so important to me!”

“Yeah, well, I can see the gaps in the data.” Claudia started.

“Well not all of the results can be accessed by anyone.” Irene said, “I used your card to see them. If you want all of them, I can use mine!”

“No, no.” Claudia said, “I don’t need to see all of them. I’m just pointing this out to you to remind you that I’ve been working for this organization since I was sixteen. And while an untrained eye would miss these data gaps, I see them.

“Okay…” Irene said, confused as to where Claudia was going.

“Now, unlike a lot of what the security department puts forth, this is actually promising.” Claudia agreed, “And I think I can actually use this.”

“You can?” Irene asked.

“Of course!” Claudia agreed, “When entity 82 inevitably shows its face again, I think, with a few modifications, this might be the thing to defeat 82.”

“You really think so!?” Irene asked, hope high in her voice.

“I do.” Claudia said, “So my term is, I want some oversight into this project. Not necessarily be a part of it, but I want to see more than most others can.”

“O- Of course!” Irene agreed, stumbling over her words, “Hell, you can become the project manager for all I care!”

“Now I don’t want that.” Claudia replied, “Just unrestricted access into this specific project.”

“Of course!’ Irene said, “If you can convince them, I’ll make it happen!”

“Good!” Claudia said, “Let’s shake on it.”

Claudia extended a hand, and Irene didn’t hesitate to take it. The two women shook on the deal, and Irene smiled.

“Thank you!” Irene said as the two stopped shaking.

“It’s no problem.” Claudia assured her, “Now, if that’s all you need, I would like to get back to my work.”

“Oh, yes, ma’am!” Irene said.

Irene then grabbed everything that she brought with her except what she had brought for Claudia and left. Once she did, Claudia then looked back up at her corkboard.

“Now then.” Claudia said, “Back to this mess.”

Meanwhile, early the following night, and another unsuccessful day of searching for Polybius, his adoptive mother, Dinah, once again found herself in Polybius’s room. And like the previous night, she was alone, in the rocking chair and the lights off, with the only light being from the moonlight coming in through the window.

However, unlike last night, Dinah found herself holding an object that she, nor anybody, had touched in a long time. An item Oliver recognized as soon as he walked in.

“You still have that?” Oliver questioned as he brought Dinah the sleeping pills, “I thought Polybius wanted that burned?”

“He did.” Dinah replied, “And… I don’t know why I’ve held onto it, but I have.”

The item in question was a hat. It was stripped of light blue and white but was significantly faded, the white, in particular, looking more cream. The material it was made out of was exceptionally rough and had no bill. However, across the back of the hat were the numbers 1, 4, 5, and 3 stamped into it.

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you did.” Oliver said, “Should remind you that Polybius has been through much worse.”

“It… It does.” Dinah admitted.

There was a moment of silence as the two looked down at the hat as they thought back to where, when, and how they found Polybius.

“We honestly lucked out.” Oliver told her, “If Polybius hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t have made it out alive.”

“No, we wouldn’t have.” Dinah agreed.

“You remember that day, right?” Oliver asked.

“I do.” Dinah said, “I remember him stepping in and just picking up that weapon and firing back. He looked so broken.”

“Yeah.” Oliver agreed.

“I also remember you getting jealous of him and his accuracy.” Dinah teased in a more light-hearted tone.

“Yeah, well, with archery being your thing, being the most accurate is something to take pride in.” Oliver stated, “But he... Oh, he needed less than a second to identify, adjust, and hit his target. He was dropping them like flies.”

“And it was amazing to watch.” Dinah recalled, “Even despite just how broken he clearly was, he still fought on. For us.”

“Which is why you shouldn’t be worried about him.” Oliver pressed, “You remember that place. And if Polybius could survive there for as long as he did, he can pull through whatever anyone can throw at him.”

“You’re right!” Dinah agreed with a newfound confidence in her voice, “He can.”

“I know I am.” Oliver said, “Now come on, let’s get to bed.”

As the two moved to Dinah’s bedroom, meanwhile, in Mount Justice, the Team and Zatanna had been closely investigating what the League was so worried about. They had gathered in the hangar bay to discuss what they had found. And thanks to Robin’s hacking skills, they had just got their answer.

“So Polybius was kidnapped!” Robin declared, looking at the new file in the system.

When Robin hacked into the system, he found a new file that the entire League could access. It was the place where everyone who had any information regarding Polybius dropped it so everyone else could see.

“By who?” Aqualad asked.

“Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.” Robin answered.

“When!?” Miss Martian asked.

“And how?” Superboy followed up, his tone quickly sinking in anger.

“Apparently on Halloween night, they broke into Mount Justice with the help of another unidentified individual and grabbed him.” Robin explained, “However, by the way this report is worded, it sounds like they were coming for us.” Robin mentioned.

“Is there anything in there that is useful?” Aqualad asked.

“No.” Robin said, “It seems that the League hasn’t turned up much.”

“Well, why don’t we have a crack at it!” Zatanna offered.

“Well, where would we look?” Superboy asked.

“Nowhere.” The voice of Batman spoke up.

The Team felt chills roll down their spines as they looked back and saw him and Red Tornado walking towards them.

“No way!” Superboy was the first to challenge.

“You will not pursue Polybius.” Batman said, “And Robin, we’ll be having a talk about you hacking League systems later. Polybius is League priority.”

“But he’s not in the League.” Miss Martian pointed out.

“You all fail to realize just how serious this is.” Batman stated, “Polybius is the only person outside the League to know so much about the League. If what he knows falls into the wrong hands, it will result in the annihilation of the League and all of its members.”

“Then shouldn’t you have all hands on deck for it then?” Aqualad asked.

“We do.” Batman said, “However, we need the Team to focus on things not related to Polybius, so if anything else pops us, you all can be the ones to respond to it.”

“So we do nothing?” Superboy asked.

“Nothing in regards to Polybius.” Batman warned.

“No way!” Superboy said, “Polybius works here, he lives with us, that sounds like enough to make a case he should be Team priority!”

“If every superhero focuses their attention on Polybius, then we will leave ourselves open and exposed to other threats.” Batman said, “Which is why the Team will not join in on the search for Polybius.”

The Team grumbled but conceded to the caped crusader, knowing they couldn’t win the fight. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Donna was trying to sleep. However, she had an uneasy feeling. Diana had gone out on a late-night mission, leaving her alone, but for some reason, she didn’t feel alone.

Sitting up in her bed, Donna scanned her dark room. She didn’t see anything out of the ordinary and brushed it off as her being hypervigilant. She then laid back down and tried to go to sleep but couldn’t shake the feeling of uneasiness.

After tossing and turning in her bed for an hour, Donna gave up trying to go to sleep and got out of bed. She thought that maybe if she walked around for a little bit and showed herself that there was nothing to be worried about, she would be able to go back to sleep.

And so, she got up and began talking around her room, looking in every possible hiding place for something that wasn’t supposed to be there. And after looking around her room, she saw no one, and then went back to bed. However, she still did not shake her uneasy feeling.

As a result of this, Donna continued to toss and turn, unable to fall asleep. And as another hour passed, and it became midnight, she let out a sigh of frustration.

“Ugh!” Donna groaned as she rolled onto her back.

Looking up at the ceiling, Donna thought about what to do next. She was frustrated that this was turning into another sleepless night for her. And what was even worse is that she couldn’t pick up the phone and call Polybius, whose words always managed to calm her down and help her. She had been told explicitly by her older sister not to call him until the League had liberated him from the custody of his captors.

Rolling out of bed again, Donna decided that if she couldn’t talk to Polybius, maybe she could put herself in a calmer mindstate by mentally bringing herself closer to Polybius.

Getting up and walking over to her closet, it didn’t take Donna long to find what she was looking for.

A long time ago, Donna had stolen a short-sleeve t-shirt of Polybius’s. It was a plain white tee shirt except, on the chest was a Roman-style purple Eagle. She had taken it from Polybius when she first realized that she liked him more than a friend and wanted something to be a little closer to him as that was before the trails had happened.

Swapping shirts, Donna felt a wave of ease rush through her as she put it on. The shirt was rather large on her, but she didn’t care. To her, it was almost like he was there with her, and that alone put her at ease.

And sure enough, not long after she laid her head down again, she passed out and went to sleep and had no nightmares that night.

Meanwhile, back in Mount Justice, Superboy was also having trouble sleeping as despite being told to calm down by everyone, he couldn’t. While he had been this angry before, he had never been this mad for this long.

Hours had passed since the Team had been told they weren’t allowed to go after Polybius. Robin also got a severe scolding from Batman along with a punishment Superboy didn’t care enough about to remember.

However, despite trying everything he had been taught, Superboy could not calm down to save himself.

Unbeknownst to him, Miss Martian, who was making her way down to his room, could sense his unending rage. She had tried helping him earlier but to no seeming avail. However, that wasn’t going to stop her from giving it a second try.

Knocking on his door, it was clear that she took Superboy by surprise as he wasn’t expecting her this late at night.

“Come in!” Superboy called, faking a sense of calmness in his voice.

“Hey!” Miss Martian said as she walked in.

“Oh… That makes sense.” Superboy commented once he recognized it was Miss Martian, “So let me guess, you want to try and help me calm down?”

“And I thought I was the physic.” Miss Martian commented.

“Yeah, yeah.” Superboy brushed off, “I just can’t believe that they won’t let us go after Polybius! I mean, he lives with us, talks with us! I mean, he’s practically an unofficial member of the Team at this point!”

“He’s also an unofficial member of the Justice League.” Miss Martian added, “It’s clear that a lot of people up there care deeply for him.”

“And we don’t!?” Superboy asked.

“Well, Wally is clearly not a fan.” Miss Martian said.

“Screw him!” Superboy barked.

“Hey, easy!” Miss Martian said, “I know Polybius means a lot to you.”

“You don’t know the half of it!” Superboy countered.

“I don’t?” Miss Martian questioned.

“No! You don’t!” Superboy pressed, “Polybius… He’s like a brother to me!”

This took Miss Martian off guard, as she clearly wasn’t expecting to hear that. She paused for a moment as she processed what he had just said.

“I- I didn’t know.” Miss Martian admitted.

“Yeah, well, now you do!” Superboy spat back, “And the fact that I can’t help the only person I see as an actual brother in this world… RAGH!”

Miss Martian was taken aback by the sudden outburst of aggression. However, she remained calm and decided to push the conversation forward.

“He will be found.” Miss Martian assured him.

“In what kind of state?” Superboy asked, “Is he going to come back to us as Polybius, or a vegetable?”

“As Polybius.” Miss Martian answered confidently, “I’ve heard nothing but good things about Polybius.”

“Because there is nothing but good things about him.” Superboy said, “I was wrong about him at first, but once I got to know him and found out we relate on a whole different level, he’s the best guy I’ve ever met.”

“Better than Superman?” Miss Martian asked out of curiosity.

“Way better.” Superboy said.

Miss Martian then moved to take a seat next to him. Superboy allowed her to do this but refused to make eye contact, preferring to look at the wall instead.

“Well then, it sounds to me like the Team needs to go on a secret mission.” Miss Martian commented.

This prompted Superboy to look up at her and make eye contact.

“Even if it’s just the two of us.” Miss Martian said, “However, I’m sure we can get some support from the others.”

“And where would we look?” Superboy asked, “Robin said he saw a lot of areas covered, and no results.”

“Well just have to figure that out when we go.” Miss Martian commented, “I sure we can put something together that the League hasn’t yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 17! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, have a good one!


	18. Chapter 18: Not Right

_Chapter 18_

_Not Right..._

The ensuing chaos that erupted on November 5th, when all of Earth’s adults and children were separated into two different realms, would have created the ideal opportunity for the Team to do their covert mission to go after Polybius. However, on that day, there was way too much shoved onto them, due to the ongoing chaos, for them to even think about Polybius. However, November 6th, when the two worlds reunited, created the perfect opportunity for the Team to test their luck. There was still a considerable amount of chaos leftover from the previous day’s events in the air. This was mostly caused by the difficulties of reintegration, as well as the overwhelming demand on the medical industry due to the sudden disappearance of many primary care-givers. All of this had effectively put nearly the entire League on hold with the Polybius mission, save for Black Canary, who was encouraged to keep the search moving forward.

The Team, now with their ranks bolstered by their newest member, Zatanna, boarded the Bio-Ship and took off. Their excuse was they wanted to do a team-building exercise with Zatanna to help integrate her into their rhythm. Red Tornado believed this lie and let them go.

“So, where are we going to start?” Superboy asked.

“I say we did what we did with Red Tornado.” Artemis proposed, “That worked out really well last time.”

“So then we need a dumb idea.” Robin said.

At that point, everyone’s attention turned to Kid Flash.

“Yeah, yeah.” Kid Flash brushed off, “I’m thinking, I’m thinking…”

It didn’t take Kid Flash long to come up with an idea.

“What if they took Polybius home?” Kid Flash proposed, “Not to like their lair, but their actual home?”

“You mean where they live?” Zatanna asked,

“Yeah!” Kid Flash said, “I mean, it would be a really dumb thing to drag a captured person into your own home, right?”

“If they did, they probably threw him into the basement.” Superboy said.

“But what if they don’t have a basement.” Robin piped up, “Or even a house? What if they live in an apartment?”

“So then where would said apartment be?” Miss Martian asked.

“With Harley Quinn, I’m sure the Joker would know something about it.” Robin stated, “And if that’s the case, then we need to go to Arkham.”

“Wait.” Superboy said, “Wouldn’t Batman have that on file?”

“Harley Quinn lived with the Joker, so their address was always the same.” Robin explained, “However, Poison Ivy got evicted from her last apartment after she got locked up. And what Batman had in his system reflected her old apartment. For all we know, she may have moved out of Gotham.”

“That seems a little weird.” Kid Flash said, “I mean, you can find out people’s shoe sizes from Batman’s records. But he doesn’t have an updated address on a known super-villain? I’m sorry, but I find that hard to believe.”

“Which is exactly what makes it the best, dumb idea we’ve got.” Robin proclaimed.

“Okay…” Aqualad said, getting on board with the idea, “So we’ve decided to go to the villain’s home. The next question is, where is that home?”

“For that, I know just who to ask!” Robin said.

“The Joker?” Kid Flash guessed.

“Who else?” Robin countered.

“Wouldn’t Batman have already gone after him, knowing Harley Quinn is involved?” Superboy asked.

“Yeah.” Miss Martian agreed, “I’m sorry, but there are a lot of problems with this theory, and I just don’t see it likely that Batman hasn’t already done this. Or didn’t do this as soon as he learned that Polybius was out.”

“I would think so too.” Robin said, “But, when I was looking in the files about what was going on with the League’s search for Polybius, everybody’s name is attached to what they find. A small detail, but one thing I did notice, is that there is a surprisingly nonexistent amount of input from the world’s greatest detective, Batman.”

“You think something might be wrong with him?” Aqualad asked.

“I don’t know.” Robin said, “Out of all of the Leaguers, Batman is the least friendly towards Polybius. Plus, he wasn’t there when Polybius saved most of the League.”

“So you’re saying Batman doesn’t like Polybius and might be glad that he’s gone?” Kid Flash asked.

“Not quite.” Robin said, “And honestly, I don’t know what’s going on because it’s not like Batman to let his relationships with people get in the way of saving them.”

“So then something bigger may be going on.” Aqualad said, “And if so, then we need to be very cautious moving forward.”

The Team nodded their agreement and headed for Arkham Asylum. Once there, it didn’t take them long to figure out that Batman had, in fact, not been in to see Joker since Polybius went missing. This set off red flags for the Team, but they kept it to themselves as they moved forward with the integration of Joker.

“Now look at what we have here.” Joker started as the Team walked into the room, “What is this, Robin and friends? Ha!”

“Can it, Joker!” Robin ordered, “We’ve got only a few questions for you, and we’ll be on our way.”

“And why would I answer to you?” Joker questioned.

“Because it’s about Harley Quinn.” Kid Flash started, “Your girlfriend.”

“Ex-girlfriend.” Joker corrected.

“Ex?” The Team questioned.

“I dumped her a long time ago!” Joker explained, “It’s old news, honestly. I don’t care about her anymore.”

“Do you?” Zatanna asked.

“No I don’t!” Joker pressed, “She can do whatever she wants. I really don’t care.”

“Do you?” Zatanna asked again, “Because from what I’ve heard about you, you really sound like you’re into stalking people, am I right?”

“And why would I do that?” Joker questioned.

“Because you still have feelings for her.” Miss Martian said, “I heard it was a rough breakup. And that she dumped you.”

“Excuse me!?” Joker questioned, “I dumped her, just to be clear. And no, I don’t have feelings for her!”

“This is taking too long!” Superboy declared in an angry tone, “Just tell us where she is, and we’ll go.”

“Is that it?” Joker questioned, “You kids want to bring her down? Ha! That’s all you needed to say! She’s living with Poison Ivy in her new apartment on 2nd Street in the third skyscraper from Main Street on the East side of the road. But I don’t know what apartment they’re in.”

This sudden outing of information caught the Team off guard as they weren’t expecting Joker to just give it up so easily. They were all initially stunned and confused as to why the Joker would give up such information so easily.

“He’s lying.” Kid Flash was the first to speak up.

“I’m not.” Joker countered, “Go ahead, Martian, read my mind.”

Miss Martian hesitated to do so, as she was sure the Joker’s mind was very messed up. She looked over to Aqualad, who gave her a nod to do so. She then went ahead and read the Joker’s mind to find that he was indeed telling the truth, as well as the reason as to why he gave up the information so quickly.

“He’s telling the truth.” Miss Martian stated.

“Then we have what we came for.” Aqualad said, “Let us not waste any more time and finish our mission.”

With that, the Team left the Arkham Asylum and headed back to the Bio-Ship. Once there, they sat down to begin discussing what their next move was going to be.

“Alright.” Aqualad said, “So we know what building they’re in, but I’m still confused as to why he gave up that information so easily.”

“He wants to see Harley fail.” Miss Martian answered, “He’s mad about the breakup.”

“That’s no surprise.” Robin said, “However, what’s more concerning, is that we were right about Batman not coming here at all.”

“Clearly, there is something going on here.” Aqualad stated, “However, right now, we need to focus on getting Polybius. Once we have him, then we can talk about the apparent compromisation of Batman.”

“Right.” Robin agreed.

“So what’s the plan?” Superboy asked, “Knock on the door and take them out fast?”

“That’s not a bad plan.” Zatanna agreed, “However, most apartment buildings have little peepholes. We’ll need someone to disguise themselves as an employee to get them to open the door.”

“How’s this?” Miss Martian asked as she stood up and morphed herself into a cleaning lady.

“If the uniform is right, they’ll buy it.” Robin said.

It wasn’t long until the Team was at the building. However, as they unloaded the Bio-Ship, Robin paused for a moment and looked over at Zatanna.

“You up for this?” Robin asked, “I mean, I know we kinda forced you to come along with us, but you can sit this one out.”

“No, no.” Zatanna started, “Honestly, even if you guys hadn’t forced me, I would have gone anyway. This is a good thing to help get my mind off my Dad.”

“I’m glad.” Robin said, “Because this would suck if we didn’t have you as backup.”

It didn’t take the Team long to find the apartment Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy were in. The staff at the building were nervous of the two and wanted them out, and as a result, we’re more than glad to help the Team in any way they could.

“Alright.” Aqualad said, “Remember, we must move fast, and we must move hard. Subdue the two villains, and rescue Polybius.”

The Team nodded and got into positions along the hallway leading to the room.

Miss Martian, now disguised as a maintenance person, walked up to their apartment door and knocked.

Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Ivy and Harley were watching TV. Polybius, meanwhile, was sitting by the window looking outside. He was still bound to his wheelchair but could move around the apartment freely. He had worked hard to gain their trust, and it was paying off.

However, the sudden knock on the door alerted everyone’s attention.

“Who could that be?” Harley asked.

“Must be that oven repair guy.” Ivy said.

“But I fixed that.” Polybius countered, “Did you not cancel?”

“I thought I did.” Ivy stated, “I called down there telling them that the issue was fixed.

Ivy walked up to the door, looked through the peephole, and saw that it was indeed a repair woman. She sighed.

“Hello?” Ivy questioned without opening the door.

“Hi!” Miss Martian replied, “I’m here to do some maintenance in the room.”

“Look, we got the oven fixed.” Ivy said, “Sorry to waste your time, but it’s fixed.”

“May I still look at it?” Miss Martian asked, “Just to make sure everything is alright.”

“I’d rather you not.” Ivy said, knowing that the people the landlord hired to fix things were creepy.

“Well, I need to fill my contract.” Miss Martian countered, “Just let me look at the oven, and I’ll be on my way.”

Ivy turned from the door and spoke in a more hushed tone.

“Oh my gosh, they are being so persistent.” Ivy grounded.

“Just tell them to go away.” Harley offered.

“I did!” Ivy said, “But this woman won’t go away! She’s insistent on getting in.”

“Does she have a room key?” Polybius asked, “If not, then just stop responding and call downstairs.”

“Good idea.” Ivy agreed as she looked through the peephole again.

“You still there?” Miss Martian asked.

Ivy looked her over and didn’t see any key on her person.

“Harley, can you please call downstairs.” Ivy asked, turning away from the door again.

“Sure thing.” Harley said.

As Harley called downstairs, on the other side of the door, Miss Martian looked down the hallway at the rest of the Team.

“This is not going well.” Superboy muttered.

“Have patience.” Aqualad assured them, “The staff is on our side. If they call downstairs, they will help us.”

Sure enough, just as Aqualad said, the downstairs staff assisted the Team by telling Ivy that she had to let the person into at least look at the oven. Ivy groaned in frustration and walked to the door.

“Alright!” Ivy called out through the door and looked up at the peephole, “You still there.”

“I’m still here.” Miss Martian replied.

“Alright, I’m opening the door.” Ivy said, “Now just look at the stove and go.”

As soon as Ivy opened the door, Miss Martian sprung into action and used her telekinesis to knock Ivy back.

“What the!?” Harley questioned as she saw this happen.

That was all she was able to get out before the entire Team rushed into the apartment. Due to the overwhelming odds stacked against Harley and Ivy, the two were subdued exceptionally quickly by the young heroes.

“Oh dang!” Polybius called out as he watched the two get taken down rather quickly, “That was fast.”

“Polybius!” Superboy was the first to call out.

“Hey!” Polybius returned, “About time y’all got here! Starting to think I had been abandoned!”

“Never!” Superboy replied as he got to work, tearing away the vines holding Polybius to his wheelchair.

“Good.” Polybius said, “At least I have someone I can rely on these days.”

“Of course!” Artemis said, “The League has been going crazy ever since they found out you were kidnapped.”

“Have they?” Polybius asked.

“Indeed.” Zatanna confirmed.

“Hey… you…” Polybius said, “Name escaping me.”

“Zatanna.” Zatanna greeted, “We haven’t met before, but I’m now a member of this Team.”

“Great!” Polybius said before turning as he began to wheel himself out of the room, “Well Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, it was nice being held captive by you two, but it was fun while it lasted.” Polybius said as he began to roll out the door.

The Team left the two for the cops, who entered the building as they were leaving. Once back in the Bio-Ship, they took off back towards Mount Justice. And as they did so, they began to talk about the startling discovery they had made before saving Polybius.

“This doesn’t make sense.” Robin said. “The only way this got past Batman is if he’s become compromised. I refuse to believe that with where Polybius was, that Batman wouldn’t have figured it out in under thirty minutes.”

“You’re right.” Aqualad agreed, “Which means we must inform the League of our suspicions.”

“Now hold on.” Polybius spoke up, “What if, and this just me thinking about what you all are saying out loud, how do you know that other Leaguers, if not the entire League, is compromised?”

“With Batman acting so out-of-character, while the others haven’t displayed any out-of-character behaviors, we don’t have any reason to believe that anyone else is compromised.” Aqualad answered.

“Okay.” Polybius said, “So, next question, who to contact?”

“Let’s call the cave and see who’s there.” Zatanna proposed, to which the Team agreed and called the cave.

“What is it, Team?” Red Tornado answered.

“We’ve got good news and bad news!” Miss Martian started.

“Then start with the good.” Red Tornado told them.

“We have found and gotten Polybius back.” Aqualad answered.

“That’s great to hear.” Red Tornado said, “But I thought the Batman told you not to go after him.”

“That leads into the bad news.” Superboy started.

“How so?” Red Tornado asked.

“We have reason to believe that Batman may be compromised.” Aqualad spoke up, “With where we found Polybius, we refused to believe that he couldn’t have figured this out within thirty minutes.”

“And where was Polybius found?” Red Tornado asked.

“In Poison Ivy’s new apartment.” Kid Flash answered, “Which, Batman did not have an updated address for, by the way. And, he didn’t even interrogate the Joker for information on Harley Quinn.”

Red Tornado took a moment to process the information before responding.

“While I do agree that all these actions seem out of character for the Batman, I think you all might be reaching a little on him being compromised.”

“No!” Robin spoke up, “I know him better than anyone else here. I know him well enough to know that there is no way he couldn’t have cracked this in thirty minutes. And with how much Polybius knows about the Justice League, and himself, I refuse to believe Batman would sit by and do nothing.”

“I agree.” Red Tornado agreed, “However, there may be a simple misunderstanding here. I will discuss it with other Leaguers and get their thoughts on the matter. For right now, just return Polybius back to Mount Justice, and we will move forward from there.”

“Roger that!” Miss Martian said.

As the video feed cut off, Red Tornado called up to the Watchtower to call up that the Team had found Polybius. A majority of the League was not there at the time, as they were dealing with the ongoing reintegration chaos. However, Wonder Woman, who was just coming off monitor duty, decided to come down to the cave to see Polybius. Yet, not before putting it out to the rest of the League and Wonder Girl that Polybius had been found and was being returned to Mount Justice.

Black Canary, who was by herself at the time, looking through online records in her apartment in her search efforts, was ecstatic to hear the news. She wasted no time rushing to the nearest Zeta Tube entrance to get to Mount Justice to go greet Polybius.

Also ecstatic to hear the news was Wonder Girl, who was on the opposite side of Gotham from the Team. She was thrilled to hear the news. She could hardly contain her excitement when she got the text from her older sister and immediately set off towards Mount Justice to greet him.

Meanwhile, at Mount Justice, Red Tornado and Wonder Woman began discussing the Team’s suspicions of Batman.

“I personally think they are reaching a little bit.” Red Tornado said after explaining to her everything the Team had told him.

“No, no.” Wonder Woman countered, “I think they may be onto something.”

“How so?” Red Tornado asked.

“When Polybius first went missing, Batman immediately assumed that Polybius had betrayed us and sent me to go ‘talk’ to him.” Wonder Woman explained, “And while the situation did make Polybius look bad, I find it a little odd that that was his first assumption, and not something else.”

“I see.” Red Tornado agreed.

“Not to mention, he was the one who said that finding Polybius was our highest priority.” Wonder Woman added, “And him not contributing to that effort seems awfully suspicious.”

“Agreed.” Red Tornado stated, “Perhaps we need to have a ‘talk’ with the Batman.”

“I think we do.” Wonder Woman said, “With how out of character all of this is, something is clearly wrong.”

At that moment, Black Canary entered Mount Justice through the Zeta Tube. She quickly rushed into the main room where Red Tornado and Wonder Woman were.

“Is he here yet?” Canary immediately asked.

“Not yet.” Wonder Woman said with a smile, “Don’t worry, he’s on his way.”

“Okay.” Canary said, forcing herself to calm down.

“Say, we do have a quick question for you.” Wonder Woman started.

The two then explained to her everything they were just talking about in regards to how out of character Batman had been acting since Polybius’s disappearance.

“We think there is something wrong with him.” Wonder Woman finished, “What are your thoughts?”

“I agree with Robin.” Canary said, “With Polybius being in her apartment, I think that Batman should have cracked that in less than thirty minutes, and find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have updated her address.”

“Then it’s settled.” Red Tornado said, “We shall confront the Batman about his strange behavior.”

“Yes, but after seeing Polybius again.” Canary said, “I’ve had nothing but nightmares ever since he got kidnapped, and seeing him safe again is going to help get rid of those.”

At that moment, the system notification for the hangar doors opening rang through the cave. The three hurried down to where the Bio-Ship landed and awaited for Polybius to come out. Once there, they watched in excitement as Polybius came rolling down the ramp of the ship.

“Polybius!” Black Canary rushed ahead to greet and hug.

“Oh, look who it is!” Polybius immediately took up a hostile tone and stopped her from hugging him.

Everyone was taken off guard by Polybius’s aggressive and angry tone, none more so than Black Canary, as she was shocked to hear Polybius talk like that to her.

“What, you think that I get kidnapped, and you don’t pick up your phone don’t mean nothing to me?” Polybius questioned.

“E- Excuse me?” Black Canary asked.

“My life gets put in danger, and you just abandon me in my time of need.” Polybius pressed, “Like I’m not going to take that personally.”

“Polybius, calm down!” Superboy spoke up.

“No!” Polybius said, “Not for this bitch!”

Black Canary’s initial shock wore off when that last word left Polybius’s mouth. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him on the ground, much to the shock of the Team. However, Wonder Woman, who was also in the same mindset as Canary, wasted no time throwing her lasso around him.

“You are not Polybius!” Black Canary barked angrily, knowing her son would never call her a ‘bitch’ ever, “Who are you!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a good one!


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19_

_Among Us..._

The phony Polybius screamed in pain from being bound by the Lasso of Truth and quickly began to morph in his, or rather, it’s true form. Everyone was shocked as they watched the imposter turn into something only Miss Martian recognized. And it terrified her more than anyone else by what this thing actually was.

Taking a step back, Miss Martian felt her blood run cold when she saw the phony get forcibly morphed into a white martian.

“What is that!?” Kid Flash questioned as the Team, as well as Black Canary, Red Tornado, and Wonder Woman take up fighting stances.

The white martian let out a roar of rage and decided to go on the offensive. Using its telekinesis, it shot out a wave around itself, knocking everyone off their feet and causing Wonder Woman to lose grip on her lasso in the process, freeing it. Kid Flash, however, was the unluckiest of them all and hit his head on the Bio-ship hard, knocking him out completely.

Now freed, the white martian then made an attempt to escape by engaging its camouflage mode and rushing to the nearest wall to shift through. However, Black Canary, incredibly outraged by the deception, was quick to react.

Without hesitation, Black Canary targeted the white martian with a Canary cry. This caught the white martian off guard and caused it to let out a yell of pain as it came out of camouflage mode and dropped to the ground.

“Get him!” Wonder Woman ordered as she picked herself up and rushed the white martian.

Superboy was equally as quick to respond, and the two quickly subdued the white martian.

“Tornado!” Wonder Woman called out as she and Superboy held it down, “Put a collar on him!”

“No need!” Miss Martian spoke up before Red Tornado could respond.

Using her physic powers, Miss Martian was quick to put the overwhelmed white martian to sleep.

“That’ll keep him knocked out for a while.” Miss Martian stated.

Meanwhile, up in the Watchtower, Superman, who was on monitor duty, took a seat at a table next to Batman.

“You hear they found Polybius?” Superman asked.

“I did.” Batman said, “Now we can move on from this mess.”

“Yeah.” Superman agreed, “However, you did say that the League needed to discuss his future in it?”

“I did.” Batman confirmed.

“What do you mean by that?” Superman questioned.

“With how much he knows about us, we either need to distance ourselves from him, so he doesn’t seem connected to us.” Batman started.

“Well we can’t do that.” Superman jumped in, “I mean, Black Canary is his adoptive mother. Any villain trying to get to her would go after him.”

“Which brings me to the option I think the entire League would want.” Batman said, “We bring Polybius in as a full-fledged member, but keep it silent.”

“Have a silent member?” Superman questioned.

“Polybius is by far, the most respected person outside of the League by the League. And I believe that the League would benefit greatly if he were brought closer into the fold.” Batman explained.

“Well you are certainly right on all of those accounts.” Superman agreed, “However, Polybius has been an opponent of getting closer to the League for a long time. It wasn’t until recently where he was desperate for a job that we brought him in as close as we have.”

“Which is why we need to bring him closer.” Batman said, “If he is a full-fledged member, keeping track of him will be much easier, reducing the threat to all of us.”

“Polybius can handle himself.” Superman stated.

“Can he?” Batman asked.

“Alright, look, I know he got kidnapped, but really, what could you do in a wheelchair with a messed up leg?” Superman questioned.

“I was talking about a more powerful enemy.” Batman said, “What if that enemy was just as powerful as you or Wonder Woman? How could he hope to defend himself from that?”

“That’s what we’re here for.” Superman said, “We’ll keep him safe. You worry too much, Bruce.”

“Sounds to me like you don’t worry enough.” Batman countered.

Meanwhile, back inside Mount Justice, the white martian had been locked up and had an inhibitor collar on him to prevent him from using his powers. On the other hand, Kid Flash was in the med bay being treated for a head injury.

The group had locked it up in a room under the close watch of Black Canary, who was fuming with rage. She was eager to get started and wanted it to wake up so she could integrate it and find out where her son was really at.

Wonder Woman and Red Tornado, meanwhile, began to push it out to the League that the Polybius that had been found was an imposter. They also had, under the advice of Miss Martian, called in Martian Manhunter to the cave. He said that he was on his way, but it would be at least an hour before he got there since he was a long distance away from the nearest Zeta Tube entrance.

The Team, except for Miss Martian and Kid Flash, were all stunned at what just happened. They were all equally shocked to find out that Polybius was an imposter. However, Aqualad was quick to reel them in and reorient them in the next step they were going to take. For them, it was to board the Bio-ship and head off to visit Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy in Arkham Asylum to see just how much they know about this deception.

Miss Martian, however, hung back. She gave the excuse that since she was a physic, and her uncle so far away, that when the martian woke up, she would be necessary to integrate it. Aqualad accepted this and allowed her to stay behind, taking Superboy, Robin, Zatanna, and Artemis with him in the Bio-ship back to Gotham.

Inside the room, the white martian was being held in, Black Canary sat in a chair and closely watched over it. In her hand, she held her son’s phone, which had been recovered by the Team with a missing SIM card.

“What is that thing?” Black Canary questioned as she watched it.

“It’s a white martian.” Miss Martian answered as she walked into the room.

Black Canary looked over to see Miss Martian walk in, clearly nervous. Black Canary, however, didn’t care much for it as she had a lot of questions that she realized that Miss Martian could answer.

“Why is it here?” Canary questioned, “And why did it pretend to be my son?”

“I don’t know.” Miss Martian answered, “But I have a good guess as to why it’s here.”

“Go on.” Canary encouraged.

“Well, you see, about an Earth month before I came to Earth, there was a… massacre.” Miss Martian started, clearly a little hurt.

“Massacre?” Canary questioned, taking up a lighter but still serious tone.

“The Ba’kari Massacre.” Miss Martian started, “You see, on Mars, white martians are looked down on and treated as inferior by the green majority. And things have only gotten worse in the past fifty Earth years for the whites. And a group, known as the ‘Purifiers of Mars’ made up of almost exclusively green Martians, pledged to eradicate all-white Martians, and has been picking up more and more momentum, especially within the last Earth decade. And the Ba’kari Massacre is only the most recent of the atrocities they have committed, but it is by far the worst seen in over two Mars centuries. What they did is they went to a completely white martian village, dragged out every single white martian they found, and slaughtered them all, killing almost three thousand white martians in the matter of a few hours.”

“That’s horrible.” Canary commented, “But that doesn’t explain why he’s here. But I assume it’s to escape persecution?”

“Yes, because of this massacre, it made white Martians across Mars scared for their lives as no action was taken against the Purifiers of Mars. This has prompted most white martians to leave Mars as it is and find somewhere else to live.” Miss Martian explained, “And honestly, it’s the biggest selling point of what made me want to leave Mars as well.”

“I see.” Canary replied, “So this guy left Mars to escape persecution. But why come here? And why pretend to be Polybius?”

These questions would go unanswered for the time being. Meanwhile, Donna, who was unaware of the situation, finally reached Mount Justice. As soon as she was inside, she headed towards Polybius’s room. However, upon arrival, she was surprised to not see Polybius there.

“Huh?” Donna questioned to herself, “Ah! Canary must have run off with him!”

Deciding to confirm this, Donna headed up to the main room and found her older sister and Red Tornado sending a message out to the League. Her older sister looked pissed, which confused Donna as she couldn’t figure out why she would be upset after finding Polybius.

“Diana?” Donna questioned, gaining her attention, “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Diana answered, “Just, pissed about what happened.”

“What happened?” Donna questioned, “I thought they found Polybius. How could you be upset over that?”

“They didn’t find Polybius.” Red Tornado corrected, “The Polybius they found was an imposter.”

“An imposter!?” Donna questioned, shocked to hear this.

“Turns out some white martian came to Earth and has been pretending to be Polybius.” Diana answered, “And now, we are even more clueless as to where the real Polybius is.”

“What about Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy?” Donna questioned, “I’m sure they would know something.”

“The Team is investigating them right now.” Diana answered, “However, right now, I need you to come with me as backup.”

“Backup?” Donna asked.

“We have enough reason to believe that the Batman may also be compromised.” Red Tornado explained.

“Batman!?” Donna questioned, “How?”

“He’s been acting very out of character lately.” Diana explained, “Which is exactly what gave the imposter Polybius away. And in light of this incident, we have enough evidence to believe that Batman may not really be Batman.”

“You’re saying he might be a white martian too?” Donna asked.

“Recognized.” The voice system called, “Batman. A02.”

“We’re about to find out.” Wonder Woman said as she, Wonder Girl, and Red Tornado faced him.

“What’s the situation?” Batman questioned.

“The situation is that the Polybius the Team found was a fake.” Red Tornado answered.

“What gave him away?” Batman asked as he approached the trio.

“He was acting very out of character.” Wonder Woman answered, “Just like you.”

Batman was clearly taken a little aback by this, as he wasn’t expecting to get called out.

“If you don’t mind, Batman.” Wonder Woman said, holding up her lasso, “We would like to make sure.”

Batman responded by revealing himself and using telekinesis to knock the three off their feet. He then turned and ran for the Zeta Tubes. However, Red Tornado managed to shut them off before he could reach them. Wonder Woman, meanwhile, used her lasso to capture the fleeing imposter.

“Show us your true self!” Wonder Woman demanded as she tugged the lasso, causing the imposter to fall off his feet.

The imposter Batman let out a shriek of pain before being forced to morph back into his original state. Which, like Polybius, was also a white martian.

“Sleep!” Miss Martian suddenly shouted from the hallway.

The white martian, too overwhelmed, had no choice but to yield to Miss Martian’s demands and fall asleep.

It wasn’t long after that, that the second imposter martian was tied up, had an inhibitor collar put on it, and locked in the same room as the other.

“So Batman turned out to be fake as well.” Canary commented as Wonder Woman dragged the unconscious martian in, followed by Red Tornado and Miss Martian.

“Indeed.” Wonder Woman said as she put it down, “And if Polybius and Batman have been compromised, who can we trust?”

“Well, it’s clear that we need to call an emergency meeting.” Canary said. “We need to test the entire League, as well as the Team.” Wonder Woman added.

“No!” Miss Martian was the first to speak up, causing all conscious eyes in the room to land on her.

“Excuse me?” Wonder Woman questioned as Miss Martian began to back up, realizing the mistake she had just made.

However, luck would be on Miss Martian’s side, as her uncle, Martian Manhunter, arrived at the room and heard what was going on.

“Hold on.” Martian Manhunter spoke up, “There is a bit of a misunderstanding here.”

“How?” Canary questioned, “We have busted at least two imposters that have gone undiscovered for God knows how long. And she’s against us testing everyone?”

“You don’t understand.” Martian Manhunter said.

“Understand what?” Wonder Woman asked as she grabbed her lasso.

“You had better tell them.” Martian Manhunter encouraged his niece.

Miss Martian felt her world falling apart around her at that moment but knew she had no other choice. She had to come out with the truth.

“I- I’m a white martian.” Miss Martian spoke up.

This reveal didn’t surprise anybody in the room.

“That’s fine.” Canary said, taking up a much calmer tone, “But we have to make sure that you are who you really say you are.”

“O- Okay.” Miss Martian answered nervously.

Miss Martian’s hands were shaking when she took hold of the lasso out of pure nervousness.

“Alright.” Wonder Woman started, “Who are you, who do you work for?”

“I am M’gann M’orzz. I work for the Justice League’s covert ops team.” Miss Martian answered.

“She’s good.” Wonder Woman said.

“What about you?” Canary questioned, “Are you who you say you are?”

Wonder Woman then, without hesitation, wrapped the lasso around her right forearm.

“Ask me again.” Wonder Woman said.

“Who are you, and who do you work for?” Black Canary asked.

“I am Diana of Paradise Island.” Wonder Woman started, “And I work for both the Justice League and as Themyscira’s official ambassador to man’s world.”

“She’s good.” Canary said before extending her arm out to be tested.

“Alright.” Wonder Woman started as she handed the end of the lasso to Black Canary, “Who are you and who do you work for?”

“I am Dinah Lance, and I work for the Justice League.” Black Canary answered.

“Alright.” Wonder Woman said, taking back her lasso, “J’onn?”

Both Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado were not imposters.

“Alright then.” Wonder Woman said, “I’m going to go test Donna. Miss Martian, could you please take over watching them while the rest of us get the League sorted out.”

“Of course.” Miss Martian agreed.

Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter, and Black Canary then went straight up to the Watchtower. Wonder Woman, meanwhile, found her young protege looking at a map of all of the places the League had thus far looked for Polybius.

“Already back at it?” Wonder Woman asked.

“The real Polybius is out there somewhere.” Wonder Girl stated, “And I’m going to find him.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, seeing as we have found two imposters among us, I would like to make sure you are who you say you are.” Wonder Woman said.

“Go ahead.” Wonder Girl said, sticking her arm out.

Wonder Woman then tested Wonder Girl to reveal that she was not an imposter either.

“Thank you.” Wonder Woman said, taking her lasso back, “And I promise you, we will find him.”

“We’d better.” Wonder Girl said, “I hope he’s alright.”

Meanwhile, in Gotham City, the Team had arrived and were all set up to interrogate Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn together. They had started and were very surprised to learn that neither Harley nor Ivy were aware that Polybius was an imposter.

“So you’re telling us, you had no idea?” Robin asked.

“We’re just as surprised as you are.” Ivy insisted.

“Zatanna.” Aqualad said, “Without Miss Martian, we need you to do your thing.”

Zatanna nodded.

“Hturt eht llet sloof eseht ekam!” Zatanna shouted.

“We were not aware that Polybius was an imposter.” Both Harley and Ivy said at the same time.

There was a brief moment of silence as Aqualad dropped his head in defeat.

“We have what we came for.” Aqualad spoke up, “Let’s head back to the cave and regroup and find out what our next move is.”

“Our next move is to keep searching.” Artemis stated.

“First, we must see how the League reacts to Polybius being an imposter.” Aqualad said.

“And maybe Batman too!” Superboy added, the whole Team unaware that Batman had already been outed.

“Indeed.” Aqualad agreed, “And if he is an imposter as well, I’m sure they’ll want to test all of us as well to make sure we are all who we really say we are.”

Indeed, about an hour later, up at the Watchtower, the entire Justice League had gathered for an emergency meeting yet again. In that time, Superman had also been tested and revealed to not be an imposter.

“Looks like everyone is here.” Wonder Woman said,

“Now hold up.” Aquaman said, “Where is Batman?”

“We don’t know.” Red Tornado answered.

“Don’t know?” Green Arrow questioned, “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“Please, let us explain.” Wonder Woman said.

Pulling up holographic images of both Polybius and Batman, the part of the League who didn’t know what had happened, was confused.

“It turns out that the Polybius that had been rescued was an imposter.” Wonder Woman started, “A white martian in disguise.”

“I’m sorry, can you say that again?” Green Arrow asked in disbelief, a disbelief that was shared by much of the League.

“That wasn’t Polybius.” Black Canary repeated, “And it turns out that Batman was also an imposter as well.”

“In light of this, seeing as kidnapping just one of them is no easy feat, nevermind both of them, this has brought up a good question.” Wonder Woman said, “Who can we trust?”

“You’re saying that one of us is another imposter?” Aquaman questioned.

“Possibly.” Red Tornado answered, “The big giveaways for the two were that they were acting out of character.”

“So you don’t trust us?” Captain Marvel questioned.

“As of right now, we have no reason to believe that any of you are imposters.” Superman said, calming down the room, “However, we don’t know how long either one of them had been compromised. Therefore, it is a matter of trust so we can know if you are who you say you are.”

“And has anyone tested you?” Hawkwoman questioned.

“We have already tested ourselves.” Martian Manhunter answered, “And we did it in front of each other.”

“Therefore, just to be certain that there are no more imposters among us.” Wonder Woman said, holding up the Lasso of Truth.

“And what of the Team?” Captain Atom asked.

“So far, Miss Martian is the only one who has been tested.” Martian Manhunter answered, “The rest of them went off to go investigate whether or not Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy knew anything about this.”

“Also, Kid Flash is currently being treated for a head injury.” Black Canary added.

“Of course he is.” Flash muttered under his breath, not at all surprised that Kid Flash was injured again.

“So then, let’s get started.” Wonder Woman said, “Who would like to go first?”

After going around the room and testing everyone who needed to be tested, it was revealed that there were no more imposters within the League’s ranks. Captain Marvel was able to hide the fact that he was a kid as they didn’t ask him to reveal his true form.

“Alright.” Wonder Woman said, “We must keep a close eye on each other. Any out of character behavior should be closely monitored and reported.”

“So now what?” Green Arrow asked, “We’re down a member and a close friend. The two of which are by far some of the smartest people on the planet.”

“One of which has developed contingency plans for all of us should we go rogue.” Aquaman added.

“And the other knows our weaknesses and how to bring us down.” Flash added, “This isn’t good.”

“Isn’t good?” Captain Atom asked, “Try disastrous. Whoever took these two clearly knows how smart they are. And if they can pick apart their brains for information, then I hate to say it, but we’re all screwed six ways from Sunday.”

“That might be a little overdramatic.” Captain Marvel countered.

“No, it’s not.” Wonder Woman countered, “As the saying goes, ‘knowledge is power.’ And by that logic, those two were the most powerful ones among us.”

“So what advantages do we have?” Green Arrow asked, “Aside from the fact that these imposters have been outed.”

“Seeing as these were martians, it seems likely that the two have likely had their brains already picked apart by them for any useful information.” Martian Manhunter pointed out.

“So we’re doomed.” Hawkman said.

“We’re not doomed.” Superman said, “We’ve been in worse situations before. At least this time, we have a head start rather than being thrown directly into the thick of a bad situation.”

“Well, do we have any ideas as to where they could be?” Hal Jordan asked, “Or where they could have been taken?”

No one had an answer.

“Great.” Flash said.

“Well, with these two missing, we shouldn’t waste time here.” Hawkman said, standing up, “We all need to double down our efforts to find them.”

The League was quick to agree with Hawkman’s proposal. However, before they dispersed, Superman reeled them back in.

“There is one thing I want to talk about before we go.” Superman said, “Before Batman was outed as an imposter today, he and I had a conversation about Polybius that, admittedly, did prove a few good points, and gave a good idea.”

“Which is?” Black Canary asked, eager to get away and search for her son.

“He said that Polybius should be made a full-fledged member of the Justice League.” Superman proposed.

“He doesn’t want in.” Green Arrow pointed out.

“Not quite.” Wonder Woman said, “He doesn’t want to fight, or the publicity that comes with it.”

“Which is why we would keep him on the down-low.” Superman stated, “His experience and knowledge has proven invaluable to us in the past time and time again. And, by making him a full member, it’ll be easier to keep track of him.”

“Well, I can promise you this.” Black Canary said, “If he accepts, you won’t find a single opponent in this room. All in agreement.”

The room all shouted their support for the motion to make Polybius a member but keep him on the down-low.

“It’s settled then.” Superman said, “If Polybius accepts, he will be made a full member, but kept on the down-low.”

With that, the League then fanned out and went back to searching for Polybius, and now Batman as well. Black Canary, Red Tornado, and Wonder Woman, however, went back to the cave to visit the two captured white martians.

By the time they arrived, they found that the two had already woken up, and Miss Martian had wasted no time and already begun the interrogation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 19. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, have a good one!


	20. Chapter 20: Break Up

_Chapter 20_

_Break Up..._

“They are swearing up and down that they have no idea who hired them.” Miss Martian explained, “All they know is that they offered them protection from the Green Martians who wanted to kill them. And that they have no idea where Polybius or Batman are.”

“Well the one that pretended to be Polybius had to have seen him!” Black Canary countered, “He has to know something about what happened to my son!”

Black Canary’s frustration had done nothing but grown as the two captured martians gave up no useful information. Miss Martian, while doing her best, was unable to get anything substantial from them. They just kept repeating the same thing over and over but were also resisting Miss Martian’s telepathy.

“I’m certain they do.” Miss Martian said, “However, it’s going to take me a while to get through.”

“Let me have a crack at them.” Black Canary said, “I’ll make them talk.”

“Or, we could use the Lasso of Truth.” Wonder Woman offered, “There is no need for us to waste more of our time with them than we have to.”

“Do it.” Black Canary said.

Wonder Woman then threw her lasso around the one that had pretended to be Polybius. The creature let out a slight moan of pain as she tightened the lasso.

“The lasso compels you.” Wonder Woman said, “Where is Polybius?”

“I don’t know.” The martian replied.

“Where did you last see him?” Black Canary questioned.

“Here.” The martian replied.

A wave of confusion spread around the room as that wasn’t the answer they were expecting to hear.

“Here?” Black Canary questioned, “What do you mean here?”

“The last place I saw him was here.” The martian replied.

“I think the better question is, when did you last see him?” Red Tornado asked.

“September 22nd.” The martian replied.

The confusion was quickly replaced with shock as that was the day that the two Red androids attacked the cave and took Red Tornado with them, nearly killing the Team in the process. This resulted in all eyes turning on Red Tornado for answers.

“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Black Canary asked.

“No.” Red Tornado said, “The attack on the cave was targeted for me. Polybius, for the most part, hid during the attack.”

“Until he called me.” Black Canary said, “That’s when the three of you turned on him.”

“Tornado, please go get Donna.” Wonder Woman asked, “She needs to be a part of this.”

Red Tornado wordlessly complied as he also agreed with that statement. It didn’t take long for him to return with Wonder Girl, who hadn’t left the cave.

“What’s going on?” Wonder Girl asked as she walked in.

Wonder Woman was quick to fill her in on what was going on. The same sense of shock that had hit all of them hit her just as hard too.

“He’s been gone for that long!?” Wonder Girl asked.

“Apparently.” Black Canary said, before turning to the martian and asking, “But what I want to know is, how was this exchange made?”

“When the fire one threw that fireball at Polybius and created that blast, it knocked him out, which is what we were waiting for.” The martian explained, “Well, it didn’t fully knock him out, but he wasn’t able to physically resist. That’s when I read his mind and became him. We then faked the injury in order to give the kidnappers more time to get away, and so that if you all found out immediately that I was an imposter, there would be more distance between yourselves and them.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Black Canary said, “Shouldn’t the doctor at the hospital that treated you have known?”

“He, as well as the staff assigned to me, were paid off to pretend that I was Polybius.” The martian answered, “They did this to give more time to create distance.”

“Well it sounds like we need to ask that doctor some questions.” Wonder Girl spoke up.

“Agreed.” Black Canary said.

“You and Donna go.” Wonder Woman said, “Red Tornado, myself, and Miss Martian will stay here and continue to ask them more questions.”

“Right.” Black Canary said, “Let’s go!”

With that, Black Canary and Wonder Girl left the room and began making their way towards the hospital.

“If I could feel emotions, I would say that I am almost scared to learn how long the Batman has been gone.” Red Tornado spoke up.

“I can’t help but agree.” Wonder Woman said as she took her lasso off the one that had pretended to be Polybius and tossed it around the one that pretended to be Batman.

“How long have you been pretending to be Batman?” Wonder Woman questioned.

“January 5th.” The martian replied.

“By the gods…” Wonder Woman shook her head.

“We’ve been fooled for over eleven months.” Red Tornado said.

“And before the Team was formed!” Miss Martian added.

“How did we not notice sooner?” Wonder Woman questioned.

“Because I read his mind and was told to fool you for a long as possible.” The martian answered.

“And you don’t know where Batman is?” Wonder Woman questioned.

“No.” The martian answered.

“Of course.” Wonder Woman stated in response.

“Do you have any information that can help us find them?” Red Tornado asked.

“No.” The martian replied, “I swear, all I know is that I was hired to pretend to be Batman by someone who offered us protection in exchange for service.”

“What kind of protection?” Miss Martian asked.

“They promised that if we helped them, they would help deal with the green extremist on Mars.” The martian answered.

“Deal with?” Miss Martian questioned.

“That’s all they said.” The martian replied, “I don’t know what that could mean.”

With no further questions at the moment, Wonder Woman ended the interrogation by taking her lasso off of them.

“What are we going to do with them?” Red Tornado asked.

“For now, they need to stay here.” Wonder Woman said, “The moment we put them in Belle Reve, it’ll become a lot harder to get to them. We’ll have the Team watch over them in shifts until we have sufficient information and don’t believe that we need them anymore.”

“I’ll create a roster then.” Red Tornado said, “Miss Martian, you’ll have first shift since you’re the only one here.”

“That’s fine.” Miss Martian replied, “I want to keep talking to them anyway.”

“I’m going to wait for the rest of the Team to arrive.” Wonder Woman said, “Just to make sure that they are all who they say they are as well before we send them out again.”

Meanwhile, Black Canary and Wonder Girl were almost at the hospital. There was a silence between them as both women were determined to get the answers they were looking for. However, upon arrival at the hospital, they stopped right at the entrance when they saw a table set up with a framed picture of the very doctor they were looking for.

“In loving memory?” Canary questioned as she looked at the small plaque on the table.

“Excuse me!” Wonder Girl flagged down one of the nurses.

“Yes, can I help you?” The nurse asked.

Wonder Girl then pointed to the table and asked, “What happened to him?”

“He was murdered last month.” The nurse replied, “If I remember correctly, it was a drive-by shooting.”

“I’m so sorry.” Wonder Girl said.

“Yeah, well, he’s not the only one who got killed.” The nurse added, “He, and a group of our nurses were killed.”

“How many?” Wonder Girl asked.

“A dozen.” The nurse replied, “We have little memorials dedicated to them scattered across the hospital.”

“Thank you.” Wonder Girl said before turning back to Canary.

“Great.” Black Canary said.

“Now hold on.” Wonder Girl said, “Let’s look at the records. Maybe one of the nurses that worked on him is still alive.”

“I doubt it.” Black Canary said, “If you ask me, they killed that doctor as well as those nurses to tie up a loose end.”

“Let’s make sure.” Wonder Girl said.

The two then walked up to the front counter and asked for the hospital records of who worked on Polybius. When they cross-examined those records with the list of people who had died, all of the names matched up.

“Yeah, they tied up a loose end.” Black Canary stated.

“Shoot!” Wonder Girl groaned, “Do you think anyone else might have known about the ploy?”

“Based on what we’re seeing in these records, no.” Black Canary answered, “But, we are closer to at least finding Polybius.”

“That’s a relief.” Wonder Girl agreed, “But what now? Nobody knows where they went.”

“Perhaps that doctor’s bank records might say something.” Black Canary offered, “Or if they paid in cash, then perhaps there is something at his home.”

“Good idea!” Wonder Girl agreed, “I’ll call Diana and let her know what’s going on.”

“Do that on our way to city hall.” Canary said, “We need to get his public records first.”

With that, the two began making their way to city hall, and Wonder Girl called her older sister and filled her in on what was going on.

“Of course, they’re all dead.” Wonder Woman groaned, “And Batman was always the one to go find the records we needed.”

“We’re going to go city hall to get his public records right now.” Wonder Girl said.

“Alright.” Wonder Woman said, “As soon as you have something to work with, let me know, and I’ll go take a look at one of the places we need to hit.”

“Will do.” Wonder Girl said, “Did you guys get anything?”

Wonder Woman then filled her in on what they had learned about Batman.

“January!?” Wonder Girl said in shock, causing both her and Black Canary to stop walking.

“What’s going on?” Black Canary asked.

Wonder Girl put up a finger as Wonder Woman finished filling her in.

“Alright.” Wonder Girl said, “I’ll call you once we’ve got something. Bye.”

With that, Wonder Girl hung up her phone and shook her head.

“What’s going on?” Black Canary pressed.

“They’ve had Batman since January 5th.” Wonder Girl answered.

“WHAT!?” Black Canary shouted, drawing more attention to the two than the usual two sexy superheroines walking out in public did, “How!?”

“We don’t know.” Wonder Girl filled in, “The two guys don’t even know who hired them.”

“How have we been getting fooled for eleven months?” Black Canary asked, “How did we not figure it out sooner?”

Wonder Girl didn’t have an answer as Black Canary shook her head.

“Eleven months.” Canary repeated.

Meanwhile, the Team finally returned from Arkham Asylum and were greeted by Wonder Woman, wanting to test them. They complied and revealed that none of them were imposters. After this, they reported what they had found with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.

“That’s not surprising.” Wonder Woman admitted.

“Why?” Robin questioned.

Wonder Woman then filled in the Team on the developments that had occurred since they left. This shocked the Team as it took all of them off guard.

“Eleven months!” Robin questioned in disbelief.

“Sadly, yes.” Wonder Woman confirmed.

“Geez.” Superboy muttered.

“Wherever they’re holding him has got to be locked up tight.” Robin said, “For Batman not to break out of there!”

“My thoughts exactly.” Wonder Woman agreed.

“However, I think I see our next move.” Robin spoke up, “If the swap happened during the Red’s attack, then somewhere, someone knew about it. I think it would be worth our while to go back to Yellowstone and check out that lab again.”

“Then you should take me with you.” Red Tornado stated, “With my knowledge of my father’s workings, I can help uncover secrets that you all may overlook.”

“Then go.” Wonder Woman said, “The more time we waste, the worse things get.”

“What about Miss Martian?” Superboy asked, “And Kid Flash?”

“Miss Martian is currently watching over the two martians.” Red Tornado explained, “We’ll be holding onto them for a while. As for Kid Flash, he has sustained a serious concussion and will be out of the action for at least the rest of the week.”

“Alright then.” Aqualad said, “Let’s make our way to Yellowstone.”

It wasn’t long after the Team left that Wonder Woman got a call from Wonder Girl. The junior Wonder informed the senior Wonder that they had the addresses of the doctor as well as the nurses that all were paid off. The two of them were going to head to the bank to see if they could figure out anything there.

With this information, Wonder Woman pointed several Leaguers in the area to address to see if they could find out anything. She herself went to the doctor’s address to investigate there.

Upon her arrival there, she found that the doctor lived alone, having no wife or children; he sought to live in a small home on the outskirts of the city. This made things much easier for her as she didn’t have to worry about how the family would react to her suddenly showing up.

Once inside the home, she didn’t find anything of note except how clean it was. However, this changed when she reached the bedroom and found a few misplaced pieces of clean clothing on the floor and an open closet door.

Looking inside, it was clear that at some point before her arrival, but after the doctor’s death, someone else had been in the home and had taken something from here.

With nothing else of note inside, she decided to call Wonder Girl and Black Canary again to check up on their progress.

“Nothing on our end.” Wonder Girl reported, “His records show no sudden deposits of any unusually large sum of money. They’re all on par with a consistent pay-check followed by bills and other expenses.”

“Well, I think I may have something here.” Wonder Woman said, “It’s clear that someone was in here before me and took likely took the money. They knew exactly where it was, and it’s the only thing they took, considering the condition of the rest of the house.”

“Well, it is wiser to pay off people in cash than direct deposits.” Canary stated, “Makes it harder to track.”

“And it’s clear that they never intended for him to keep that money.” Wonder Woman stated.

“So what’s our next move?” Wonder Girl asked.

“For now, we should head back to the cave.” Wonder Woman said, “There, we can compare notes and come up with a list of suspects.”

“We’re on our way.” Wonder Girl replied before hanging up.

About an hour later, and everyone’s search coming up with similar results to Wonder Woman’s, they all went back to their own independent investigation. Once back at the cave, the three heroines began comparing notes and coming up with a list of possible people.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if this isn’t another one of Luthor’s ploys.” Wonder Woman said, pulling him up.

“I disagree.” Black Canary said.

“Why?” Wonder Woman asked, “He has the resources to pull this off.”

“Yeah, but here’s what’s getting me.” Black Canary said, “With him being a billionaire, he can afford to throw away a couple million like it’s nothing. I highly doubt he’d care enough to bother sending someone to go retrieve the cash payoffs he gave the hospital employees.”

“Well whoever they are, they clearly have some wealth.” Wonder Girl said, “If you add up the total bill, it’s pretty expensive.”

“Well, with the doctor and hospital staff dead, that tied up that loose end.” Wonder Woman pointed out, “Now unless we can find the people who killed the doctor, I don’t think we have much to work with.”

“What about Ra’s Al Ghul?” Wonder Girl questioned.

“Why go after Polybius?” Black Canary questioned, “I can see reasons for Batman, but Polybius? I just can’t see why he would go after him.”

“What about Simon Stagg.” Wonder Woman pointed out.

“Again, it doesn’t make sense why someone of his wealth would go back for the money.” Black Canary said, “I mean, he’s up there with Lex Luthor in terms of wealth. I just don’t see a situation where he would send someone to go get that money back.”

“I think we need to aim down.” Wonder Girl said, “Start looking at people who aren’t as wealthy.”

“That’s saying that there is just one person behind this.” Black Canary said, “It could be a group of people working together and pooling their collective wealth to pull this off.”

“And that’s also saying we know about them.” Wonder Woman added, “I’m starting to get the feeling we’re facing a new threat entirely.”

“So you mean, like another Injustice League?” Wonder Girl asked.

“I wouldn’t say that.” Wonder Woman said, “So far, the only people with powers we’ve seen are those two martians we’ve caught.”

“Well they likely have more white martians on their side.” Black Canary said, “However, I don’t think it’s an exclusively white martian organization based on what the two imposters told us.”

“I agree.” Wonder Woman said, “There are certainly humans involved in this as well.”

“And here’s something else, who says that Polybius and Batman are the only two they’ve taken.” Wonder Girl pointed out, “They may have taken Lex Luthor, Ra’s Al Ghul, and Simon Stagg as well, and they have been replaced by white martians!”

“That is a distinct possibility.” Black Canary agreed.

“For right now, all we can do is wait for the Team to report back to us.” Wonder Woman said, “Hopefully they can find something there.”

Later that evening, the Team and Red Tornado arrived at T.O. Morrow’s lab and began their search.

“Oh wow.” Zatanna, being the first to enter, said upon entering it, “Somebodys been through here.”

Looking around the lab, it had been stripped to the bone. A vast majority of the technology had been removed, as well as anything that could really be of use.

“This isn’t good.” Aqualad said.

“Let’s look at this in blacklight.” Robin spoke up, “Let’s see if there are any prints.”

“Good idea.” Red Tornado said.

Robin, who happened to carry around a black light flashlight with him, began looking around the room under cover of darkness. This revealed nothing useful as there were no prints in the room.

“Of course there aren’t.” Superboy groaned as the lights came back on.

“No, but this is consistent.” Robin pointed out.

“Consistent?” Zatanna asked.

“Of these people covering up their tracks behind them.” Robin explained, “Everything that we could have used to get closer to them is gone. And, they left no evidence behind.”

“So whoever took this stuff is the same person or group that paid off the doctors.” Artemis pointed out.

“More than likely.” Robin agreed.

“So now what?” Superboy asked, “With this person or these people covering themselves up every step of the way, that doesn’t leave us a lot to work with.”

“It doesn’t.” Aqualad agreed, “And this may leave us at a point where we have to wait for their next move.”

“What!?” Superboy questioned, “What do you mean, wait!? If we wait, who knows who or what they’ll take next.”

“Well, as of right now, we don’t really have anything to work with.” Robin said, “All we can do is compare Batman and Polybius and try to figure out why they were targeted and who they’ll target next.”

“And then we wait?” Superboy asked, “Who knows what they’re doing to Polybius and Batman right now! They need our help now!”

“And where do we start to look for them?” Aqualad asked.

“Somewhere!” Superboy said, “But we can’t sit here and let them suffer!”

“And we don’t want to do that.” Artemis said, “However, Robin and Aqualad are right. We don’t even know if they’re on this hemisphere.”

“And that is way too much ground to cover, even for the League.” Red Tornado spoke up, “I agree that our only good option right now is to wait until we get something we can work with.”

Superboy grumbled but stopped arguing as he knew they were right. There was just simply too much ground to cover, and for now, they were forced to wait.

As the Team and Red Tornado began making their way back to Mount Justice, meanwhile, back at said location, Black Canary, Wonder Girl, and Wonder Woman had already come up with a list of potential targets that may get hit.

As they were wrapping up, Green Arrow entered the cave via Zeta Tube. He wanted to check up on his girlfriend as the information about just how long the League had been getting fooled was now out, and everyone was equally confused as to how they had been fooled for so long. And he also knew that with Polybius being at the forefront of this, what kind of effect it would have on her mental health.

“You holding up alright, Pretty Bird?” Green Arrow teased as he greeted her.

“I’m alright.” Black Canary said, “Just, tired and angry.”

“I’m sure.” Green Arrow replied, “But, look on the bright side, we’re now steps closer to finding Polybius.”

“I’ll be happy once I see him safe again.” Black Canary countered, “Which leads me to what I want to talk to you about.”

“About what?” Green Arrow asked.

“We’ve compared notes and came up with a list of things Polybius and Batman had in common.” Black Canary began to explain, “From there, we then compiled a list of people who all match these common traits most closely.”

“And?” Green Arrow questioned.

“Well… You’re at the top of the list.” Black Canary answered.

“Me?” Green Arrow questioned, almost sounding offended, “How?”

“Well, for starters, you are very intelligent.” Black Canary started.

“I’m not on the same level as those two.” Green Arrow countered, “I’ll admit that.”

“That’s not all.” Black Canary said, “You also rely more on your skill because you have no powers.”

“Is this another joke about how I have no powers?” Green Arrow asked, clearly a little irritated.

“It’s not.” Black Canary countered, matching his irritation, “I’m telling you what we’ve come up with! Why are you so upset over it?”

“Because I’m not like them!” Green Arrow said.

“You think we’re comparing your guys’ personalities?” Black Canary questioned.

“I’m sure that has to be part of it!” Green Arrow answered.

“I don’t understand why you’re upset over this!” Black Canary said.

“Because I don’t like being told that I’m like Batman.” Green Arrow explained, “Because I’m not!”

“What is this, some sort of… identity crisis you’re having?” Black Canary asked.

“It’s not!” Green Arrow countered, “Batman is dark and brooding, who is always waiting for the worst to happen so he can enact some sort of plan he came up with. He always looks for the worst in people too, and that’s not me!”

“Oliver!” Dinah shouted, “This isn’t about your personalities! This about the fact that you fit the profile of likely targets!”

“And you all are worried that because I have no powers to defend myself, that I’ll get scooped up too!” Oliver added.

“It’s not like that!” Dinah insisted.

“Oh really?” Oliver questioned, “What next, I’m going to get assigned a guard so they can watch over me and make sure I don’t get kidnapped as well?”

“No!” Dinah countered, “We want you to know that you are a likely target!”

“Because I’m like them.” Oliver said.

“Yes!” Dinah replied, “I don’t get it, what’s going on with you, Oliver!? I know you don’t like being compared to Batman, but this isn’t about that! This is about your safety!”

“And you guys don’t think I can defend myself?” Oliver questioned.

“If they got Batman and Polybius, then yes, I can see you struggling.” Dinah admitted.

“Which means I’m like them!” Oliver pointed out.

“Jesus Christ, Oliver!” Dinah shouted angrily, “We don’t think you’re defenseless and incapable. You are more than capable of defending yourself, but you’re not listening to me! You! Are! A! Likely! Target! And this has NOTHING to do with your personalities! What has gotten into you, Oliver?”

“Nothing’s gotten into me.” Oliver countered, but more calmly this time, “It’s… It’s just been a rough day.”

“So you come here and take it out on me?” Dinah asked, her anger still prevalent “Is that it?”

“No!” Oliver countered, “It’s not that!”

“Then what is it!?” Dinah demanded.

“I’m worried about you, Dinah!” Oliver said, “You’re obsessing over this bad, and I’m worried about the toll it’s having on you.”

“Polybius is my son!” Dinah pressed, “And I am the only parental figure he’s ever known! It’s my job, as his mother, to protect him! And I can’t stand the fact that he’s missing, possibly being tortured, while I sit around here and have no clues to his whereabouts!”

“But you need to relax.” Oliver insisted.

“No, Oliver!” Dinah countered, turning away, “You don’t understand!”

“Don’t understand what?” Oliver questioned, anger slightly rising in his tone, “What is it that I don’t understand?”

“You don’t understand how much he means to me!” Dinah said, trying to force herself not to cry.

“I know he means a lot to you.” Oliver assured her.

“No, you don’t.” Dinah repeated, “Trust me, you have no idea how much he means to me.”

“And you sitting here worrying over him is not going to help him.” Oliver said, anger starting to rise again, “Polybius will pull through. We will find him, and we will save him, I promise! But you’ve gotta relax because if you wear yourself out trying to find him, you’ll have no energy to spare when we actually find him. Come on! Let’s just put this argument behind us and go out to a bar, get drunk, and have some fun!”

“Why are you trying to pull me away from this?” Dinah countered, causing Oliver to have a sudden rush of anger.

“Because Polybius-” Oliver started shouting with a voice of anger but quickly cut himself off as he realized what he was about to say and that he shouldn’t say it.

However, it was far too late as Dinah suddenly turned and faced him again. However, any hit of despair that was on her face vanished and was replaced with one of the deadliest looks she could give. She locked eyes with Oliver in a challenging manner. This was followed by a brief moment of silence as she waited for him to continue.

“Go on.” Dinah challenged, daring him to finish his statement, “Finish it!”

“No.” Oliver said, “Forget it. Forget I said anything.”

“No I won’t.” Dinah said, “Do you have a problem with Polybius?”

“No.” Oliver answered.

“Really?” Dinah asked, facing him, “Because it sounds like you do!”

“You know what, I’m not dealing with this tonight.” Oliver said, turning away.

“You’re jealous of Polybius, aren’t you?” Dinah challenged, “Jealous of the amount of attention I give him?”

“I’m not talking about this.” Oliver insisted as he began walking away, “Goodnight, Dinah.”

“Now you’re just gonna walk away from me!?” Dinah challenged, “Oliver, I told you the day we got together that Polybius was my top priority and would be until we got married if we ever did. And since you don’t like that, then we’re done!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think of it, and as always, have a good one!


	21. Chapter 21: Surprise at the Door

_Chapter 21_

_Surprise at the Door..._

Oliver couldn’t believe the day he just had. What had started as a bad day with him getting his butt whooped by a criminal turned worse with the new information, and to top it all off, Dinah just broke up with him.

While this hadn’t been the first time the two had broken things off, this was, by far, the most serious. Their relationship had been a very off and on thing over the years. This had led to quite a few of the League members assuming this was just another “off” phase they were having, but Oliver wasn’t so sure. Never had he seen Dinah get so angry at him, and never had he gotten so angry with her.

Dragging himself home after his long and exhausting day, Oliver tried to relax but found himself unable to do so. His mind was too occupied by thoughts to realize that he was actually in danger.

Unknown to him, outside, a group of five men pulled up in a white box truck pulled up. They were all wearing heavy-duty gas masks, and in the back were canisters of sleeping gas. The group wasted no time rolling out several canisters, disguised to look like propane tanks, and hooking them up to the house. Their plan was simple: flood the home with sleeping gas before Oliver noticed, grab him, swap him, clean, and get out.

Once everything was set up, two of the men went back to the box truck to keep watch. Meanwhile, the other three made their way inside the home and began to move in.

Oliver, meanwhile, was totally unaware of what was going on. He sat down on his couch and leaned forward in a defeated gesture. He then let out a long sigh of defeat as he reflected on the day.

Taking a deep breath in, Oliver leaned back and slammed his back on the soft cushion of the couch. Upon hitting the couch, he let out a long groan before quieting back down.

Then, it hit him. Breathing in through his nose, he got a whiff of a strange smell.

“What the?” Oliver questioned as he looked around, suddenly feeling very tired.

Hearing the door to this right creek open, he looked over and saw the three men in masks approaching him with a bag to put over his head and restaurants.

“No!” Oliver said as he tried to stand up but stumbled over due to his drowsiness. He slammed hard into a nearby table, knocking it over in the process as he hit the ground and passed out.

The group of them were then able to easily apprehend him and drag his unconscious body back to the truck. From there, the group then began a clean-up operation, removing every bit of evidence that they were there. They even set the knocked over table backup as they purged all traces of the gas from the home, even the residue marks.

Once they finished this, Oliver, who was now gagged, began to wake up inside the truck. He let out a small muffled groan as he rolled over and sat up.

At that moment, the bag was ripped off his head, and Oliver found himself face to face with a white martian. The creature then read his mind and shape-shifted into Oliver.

Oliver’s eyes went wide as he realized what was going on. The white martian in the form of Oliver then exited the vehicle and walked into the house while the other four and the real Oliver drove away.

Meanwhile, the hunt for Polybius and Batman had turned up nothing of note. However, following the events of November 11th, with the attack of the ice fortresses and Kid Flash’s run across the country, things quickly began to change.

It was late at night, and Dinah returned to her apartment yet again defeated by the day. Endless searching yielded no results, and it was starting to get to her. Every day that passed, her anxiety about her son only grew. She wished for nothing more than to see him safe and sound.

As she walked in the door, she decided to have a small snack before she went to bed. It didn’t take her long to get changed into pajamas and begin eating. However, she was taken off guard by an unexpected knock at her door. She looked over at the time and saw that it was 1:30 in the morning.

“This can’t be good.” Dinah muttered to herself, expecting it to be a Leaguer needing her because somebody or something was trying to destroy the world.

Approaching her door, she looked through the little peephole on it just to be sure it was. However, she was surprised to see that it had been covered up, putting her on edge. This was followed by what sounded like the person on the other side lightly slamming their head against the door. Dinah leaned in close to the spot on the door and listened to see if she could hear anything.

“Please be here…” A male voice weakly hopped.

Still unsure of who was on the other side of the door, Dinah didn’t think she was in any danger as it sounded like the person on the other side was hurt. This caused the hero in her to kick in, and she bravely opened the door.

And she was shocked to see who was barely standing on the other side.

Looking up at her was an injured Polybius, who was leaning up against the door frame with his right arm and supporting himself with his left. His legs were wide and shaking, and on his face, it was clear that something had been ripped out of the right side of his head, as long streaks of frozen blood down his face. His skin was also mostly a very light shade of blue due to the extreme cold outside, and the paper-thin clothing he was wearing was not meant for dealing with such extreme temperatures.

“Mom!” Polybius was the first to speak in a weak yet happy tone.

“POLYBIUS!” Dinah shouted as Polybius lost support from his right arm and fell into hers.

Dinah quickly caught him before he hit the ground. As she did, he let out a groan of pain when his knees slammed into the ground.

“Don’t worry, Polybius.” Dinah said as Polybius wrapped his right arm around her, “I’ve got you.”

Polybius then tried to pick himself up, but only succeeding on his right side, as his left was too weak to continue to support him.

“Come on.” Dinah said, “Let’s get you to the couch.”

Polybius nodded, and the two slowly made their way to the couch. She slowly set him down, and the young man finally relaxed.

“Stay here.” Dinah told him, “I’m going to get you some blankets and call the League and get some help.”

Polybius then shot her a glance that said, ‘where am I gonna go in this condition?’ He also moved and grabbed her arm with all the grip he could muster. Dinah couldn’t help but notice how weak it was, but it was enough to stop her.

“No… Hospital…” Polybius managed out, “Waiting… for… me…”

“Got it, no hospital.” Dinah said, “I’ll just call the League to help them.”

“No, Batman…” Polybius managed.

“We already know.” Dinah assured him.

“No… Arrow.” Polybius added

This one confused Dinah as she was confused by what he meant. She assumed he meant Red Arrow as he hadn’t been tested, while Green Arrow had.

“No Red Arrow got it.” Dinah said.

“Green…” Polybius tried to correct.

“Green Arrow?” Dinah questioned, just to be certain.

Polybius only responded by nodding. Dinah decided not to question him at that moment as he was too weak and too cold to explain himself.

Rushing to her bedroom, Dinah ripped the blankets off her bed and ran back to wrap Polybius up in them. As she wrapped him up, she noticed the blue in his face fading away and being replaced by a warm red—a very good sign.

“Mom.” Polybius said.

“Yes?” Dinah asked.

“Get this backpack off of me, please.” Polybius requested.

“Of course.” Dinah complied.

Once the backpack was off of Polybius, Dinah then called the Watchtower.

“What’s up, Dinah?” Flash, who was on monitor duty, responded.

“It’s Polybius.” Dinah replied, “He’s here at my apartment!”

“What!?” Flash questioned.

“He’s here at my apartment.” Dinah repeated, “He’s in bad shape too, but says that there are people waiting for him at the hospital.”

“To do what?” Flash asked.

“He hasn’t said.” Dinah said, “Just send some help now!”

“They’re on their way.” Flash said, “I’ll have to try to keep it low profile to protect your identity.”

“Thanks.” Dinah said.

After hanging up, she shifted her attention back to Polybius, who had opened up his bag and began pulling napkins out of it.

“Polybius, rest.” Dinah told him.

“No.” Polybius countered, now stronger, “I’ve got what you need to save them.”

Looking at what Polybius was pulling out, Dinah realized that Polybius, at some point, had hand-drawn the floor plans for the building he had been held in on those napkins. He was laying them out on the table in front of them in order.

“The League is on their way.” Dinah told him as she watched him move the napkins around, “You can tell them everything once they get here. For now, you need to rest, Polybius.”

“No.” Polybius countered again, “I do need a head wrap, though.”

Looking over to the side of his head, Dinah saw that blood that was frozen was starting to warm up and drip on the blankets. She swiftly took care of that injury as Polybius continued to work, and by the time she had finished, Polybius had also finished.

“That’s everything I know about the floor plan.” Polybius said as he leaned back, “I’ve got other useful items in my bag and-”

“Sh…” Dinah said, holding a finger up to his lip, “Polybius, you’re hurt, and you need to rest and relax. The League is on their way, and we’ll take care of you, alright?”

“R- Right.” Polybius muttered out as she lowered her finger, “Sorry, it’s been rough.”

“I’m sure.” Dinah assured him, “But you’re safe now.”

“Yeah…” Polybius said, “Hey, can I get a hug?”

“Of course!” Dinah said happily.

The two embraced each other in a tight and very warm mother-son hug. Dinah noticed how much stronger Polybius had become since he arrived, as his grip was now a lot stronger. She also could help herself but let tears of joy run down her face as Polybius was finally safe.

Meanwhile, Diana had just gotten the call from Flash that Polybius had managed to drag himself to Dinah’s apartment. She quickly rushed over to Donna’s room to let her know the news.

“Donna!” Diana practically shouted as she burst into Donna’s room.

Donna, who was asleep, shot up when Diana burst in, in a mild panic.

“What!?” Donna asked in a confused daze.

“It’s Polybius.” Diana said, “He may have been found!”

“May have?” Donna questioned confusion, now replaced by home.

“We need to test him to make sure he’s real, but he’s at his mother’s apartment right now!” Diana said, “Now get dressed! Civilians! We’re keeping a low profile.”

Donna hadn’t changed clothes and gotten ready so fast in her life. She had gotten ready before her older sister was.

“Come on!” Donna groaned to herself impatiently, “Let’s go!”

As the two took off meanwhile, Oliver stumbled over as he suddenly felt light-headed. He managed to catch himself on the table in front of him to stop himself from falling. However, it was immediately apparent he wasn’t alone, as the sound of bodies smacking metal soon echoed the large room.

“What the?” Oliver questioned as he looked around the room, confused as to where he was at.

The room Oliver was in was a large one made out of what appeared to be mostly, if not all, metal. It was a large cafeteria that looked to be full of prisoners, with everything being made out of metal as well.

“Oliver.” A voice nearby him grounded.

Looking over, Oliver was surprised to see Bruce Wayne on the ground. Oliver also noticed a device in the side of the man’s head that ran from above his right eye to above his right ear.

“Bruce!” Oliver shouted as he rushed to his side and helped him up, “What’s going on?”

“A lot.” Bruce replied, just as alarms began going off, “Polybius is here as well. He was planning an escape.”

“Polybius is here?” Oliver questioned, just to make sure he heard the man right.

“Was.” Bruce replied, “He said he was going to escape and bring back help.”

“What’s this thing in your head?” Oliver questioned.

“Some sort of physic sedation device.” Bruce replied, “It’s what has been keeping us under their control. You’ve got one too.”

“Whose control?” Oliver asked as he felt the side of his head for his, which was there.

“Not sure.” Bruce replied, “Polybius and I have been trying to figure that out, but right now, we need to focus on-”

Bruce was cut off when a body came flying out of one of the security rooms and crashed into a table. The person was dead before they got thrown out of the room, as evidenced by massive amounts of damage on his chest.

“Where is he!?” A deep and almost insane sounding voice demanded from the room the body just came flying out of.

“I don’t think he’s one of us.” Oliver said.

“No.” Bruce agreed.

With more bodies flying out of the room, this caused chaos to erupt in the cafeteria. A chaos that Oliver and Bruce were able to take full advantage of. As they did, meanwhile, back at Dinah’s apartment, Polybius and Dinah sat next to each other on the couch. Dinah kept a hand on her adopted son as he warmed up. Polybius, while feeling comforted by the presence of his mother, was also a little frustrated.

“I wish I could prove to you that I am really me.” Polybius stated.

“Diana is coming with her lasso.” Dinah told him, “Once she’s here, we’ll get this sorted out.”

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed, “With all of the doppelgangers running around, you all need to know that I am really who I say I am.”

“Quick question.” Dinah said, “Sorry to cut you off, but when did they get Oliver?”

“Only a few days ago.” Polybius said, “He hasn’t been there for that long. Not like Bruce or Luthor.”

“They’ve got Lex Luthor down there?” Dinah asked.

“Yes.” Polybius confirmed as he pulled out another napkin from the bag, “I have a list with at least two dozen prisoners.”

“Good.” Dinah said, “Now we can at least know who all has been captured.”

“You will.” Polybius said, “Honestly, I could have broken out the day they put me in there.”

“Really!?” Dinah asked, intrigued by this statement.

“Oh yeah.” Polybius said, sounding much more like his usual self, “As evident by my head, they implanted physic repression devices into our heads to keep us in line. Of course, it, for whatever reason, they didn’t work on me.”

“So why didn’t you break out sooner?” Dinah asked, “Polybius, we’ve all been worried sick about you, especially myself and Donna.”

“Well, I knew it would be better to come back with important and useful information, so I hung around for a while gathering it.” Polybius explained, “That, and I also found out Bruce was there as well.”

“And you didn’t take him with you?” Dinah asked.

“His device was clearly effective against him.” Polybius answered, “I mean, he was still a little bit there, but not enough to make an effective escape attempt with. Plus, I only saw him for about three minutes a day, and not at the same time. Trying to coordinate anything with him was next to hopeless. And Oliver’s even worse. His has completely subdued him, and I only saw him in passing.”

“So you couldn’t save them?” Dinah asked.

“Not without risking setting off the small explosive built into the repressors.” Polybius said.

“And how did you get yours off?” Dinah asked.

“I literally tore mine off.” Polybius replied, “Just grabbed and yanked.”

“Ouch!” Dinah said, “You poor thing.”

“Yeah, well, trying to escape with it on the side of my head was a no go. They are set to go off if you leave the designated zone. I saw one guy, a high-ranking general, I think, that tried to do it and got his freaking head blown off.” Polybius explained.

“And you didn’t try to defuse it?” Dinah asked.

“Couldn’t get it open.” Polybius said, “The panel is on the side that is pressed up against my head, and I didn’t have any cutting tools available. So tearing it off was my only option.”

“And how bad did it hurt?” Dinah followed up.

“Not as bad as you’d think.” Polybius replied honestly, “It’s not embedded into the head, it’s just sorta loosely connected to it.”

“It did do some damage, though.” Dinah said, running a hand along the wrapping.

“I’ll survive.” Polybius answered, “We both know I’ve been through so much worse.”

“Yes, we know.” Dinah agreed.

“But, moving away from this…” Polybius started, “If it’s alright with you, I think I want to move back in for a little while. Not for a long time, but just a little bit.”

“Of course! Polybius, you’ll always have a home here.” Dinah replied happily, “You can take as much time as you need.”

“Thank you.” Polybius replied, “I know it must sound like an odd request coming from me, but-”

Polybius was cut off by a knock at the door. Dinah got up to go answer it and found that it was Diana and Donna on the other side.

“Diana! Donna!” Dinah greeted.

“Oh great.” Polybius muttered from the other room, unheard by the three women, thinking about how similar their names sounded.

“Where is Polybius?” Diana asked.

“You better have that lasso!” Polybius called out, “I want to prove I’m trustworthy!”

“This way.” Dinah said.

The trio entered the room, and Diana was quick to give Polybius an end of the lasso. The quick test they performed showed that this was indeed the real Polybius.

“Polybius!” Donna happily shouted as she rushed him and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Polybius had a little bit of the wind knocked out of him when she threw herself at him but recovered quickly. He returned the embrace happily.

“Easy, Donna.” Dinah spoke up, “He’s still a little weak.”

“Yeah, but I’m getting warm!” Polybius spoke up before Donna could answer.

“Oh he’s alright.” Diana commented, “You can tell just by the way he’s talking.”

Meanwhile, Bruce and Oliver managed to get pretty far, using the chaos and the shut off of the physic repressors. However, they were stopped dead in their tracks by a group of masked men pointing guns at them.

“Don’t move!” One of them shouted.

However, before the two could pull any cool superhero moves and the bad guys lost their ability to hit the broadside of a barn, someone else jumped in.

A turquoise blob formed in the middle of the floor. From it rose an arm, who grabbed the ankle of one of the masked men and quickly dragged him into the blob on the floor. The other men in the room, unsure of what to do, decided to begin to shoot at the blob in the false hope it would achieve something.

It did not as a new blob began to form on the wall out of their sight. From it, a large man emerged with what looked like macuahuitl and was dressed in what looked like traditional imperial Aztec clothing. He quickly rushed the group and used the long reach of his weapon to make very short work of them before they could even fire a shot at him.

“You!” The big man growled in a deep tone, pointing the macuahuitl at them, “Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen. Better known as Batman and Green Arrow.”

The call-out of their identities caused both of them to go on the defensive. The two took a few steps apart from each other as they prepared to defend themselves from the Aztec.

“I do not wish to fight you.” The big man said, lowering his weapon, “I only seek to know one thing.”

“And that is?” Oliver asked.

“Where is Polybius!?” He demanded as he moved closer to the two heroes.

“You just missed him.” Batman said, “He escaped earlier today.”

The Aztec laughed.

“Good.” He said, “I don’t want anyone else to destroy him.”

“Who are you?” Oliver asked.

“Oh, Polybius knows who I am.” The man teased, “And tell him that I’m coming for him!”

The Aztec laughed as he began to lower into a turquoise blob in the floor that appeared under his feet. Neither Bruce nor Oliver tried to stop him as they watched him disappear.

“Oh, and you’re welcome.” The Aztec said right before his head went under.

“What was that?” Green Arrow asked.

“Someone who doesn’t like Polybius.” Bruce answered, “However, I’m guessing he’s the one who caused all of this.”

“Safe bet.” Oliver agreed, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and as always, have a good one!


	22. Chapter 22: Dinah's Son

_Chapter 22_

_Dinah's son..._

“That’s an interesting development.” Polybius commented.

By the time the Justice League was ready to make a move against the people who had kidnapped Polybius, Batman, and Green Arrow, the latter two made their return and informed everyone of what had happened. The detachment consisting of Superman, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Captain Atom, and Doctor Fate sent to investigate found that the mysterious Aztec warrior and the building that they had been held at. And what staff he hadn’t killed were long gone by the time of their arrival, leaving no survivors.

They also found that all of the prisoners had escaped and were now accounted for except one. One of the world’s best mixed martial artists could not be accounted for. However, any hopes of learning where they actually went were quickly shattered as all of the computers in the place were set to wipe themselves in the event of something disastrous happening. There was no hope for a recovery of all of the data.

Looking more into the bodies of the fallen, however, there were more answers there, as they did find out the name of the organization: “The Fellowship of The Mistress.” What was more remarkable about them, however, is Batman didn’t even know they existed until now, with no records of them existing anywhere.

As for the white martian who replaced Green Arrow, it had long fled before the League caught up to it, clearly having been tipped off. The two who had replaced Batman and Polybius, on the other hand, were both now sitting in cells in Belle Reve. This was only after Miss Martian wiped the twos’ minds of what they had learned about Polybius and Batman.

However, at the moment, Polybius was just glad to be home again. The League praised him for all of his efforts, saying that his floor plan was on point for how much of it he had. And all of the information he provided them proved to be invaluable. But they stopped just short of proposing he come on the League as its first and only “silent member,” as they had started calling him until he was feeling better.

Both Wonders, meanwhile, had to leave due to a developing crisis elsewhere not long after arriving at Black Canary’s apartment. Polybius promised them both he would catch up with them once he was feeling a little better. Unfortunately for him, due to his exposure to the extreme cold, he had come down with an exceptionally nasty cold and low-grade fever. Fortunately for him, his mother was more than happy to take care of him for the time being.

“Bruce is telling me that the Aztec said you know who he is.” Dinah said, “Do you?”

Polybius and Dinah were both at the latter’s apartment at that moment. The two were sitting down at opposite ends of the dinner table, eating dinner, which was chicken noodle soup. They hadn’t discussed much as Polybius’s nasty cough and sore throat made it difficult for him to speak much at all. However, between the soup, the medication he was on, and his own will, he forced himself to begin talking.

“I do.” Polybius said, “His name if I remember correctly, is Montezuma.”

“Montezuma.” Dinah repeated.

“Yeah.” Polybius confirmed, “He’s a real nasty guy. Stupid! But nasty. And he deserves to be shot.”

“Calm down.” Dinah said, “We don’t kill here.”

“Yeah, well, if I were to ever join the League, this is one motherfucker I would use a ‘kill pass’ on.” Polybius explained.

“Well, we don’t have ‘kill passes’ in the League.” Dinah said.

“I’d kill him regardless.” Polybius stated, “After what that man-”

Polybius erupted in a coughing fit before he could finish.

“Easy Polybius.” Dinah told him, “Remember, you’re sick.”

“I- I know.” Polybius said, quickly recovering, “But yeah, if I’m ever given the chance too, I will kill him.”

“Did you do anything to make him hate you?” Dinah asked, keeping the conversation moving forward.

“Well, honestly, I don’t know why he hates me.” Polybius said, “We haven’t gotten to that part of our story yet.”

“You sure?” Dinah asked.

“Honestly, there are so many people who have either wanted or want me dead, it’s hard to keep track.” Polybius explained, “I mean shoot, you remember where you found me, right?”

“Of course.” Dinah said, “Had a nightmare about that place the other night.”

“Exactly.” Polybius said.

“But nobody has followed you over.” Dinah said, “When we made our crossing back, I don’t think anyone followed us.”

“Doesn’t mean someone did later.” Polybius said, “Remember, we came out in the middle of freaking nowhere. And that’s saying that that spot is consistent.”

“I feel like we would have detected it.” Dinah said.

“Don’t be so certain.” Polybius said, “Although I do agree that I don’t think Montezuma is from there.”

“Then where?” Dinah asked.

“Mexico city?” Polybius offered, “I mean, it’s clear he’s got some sorta Aztec magic thing going on, with him being able to open a portal into a realm where he is master of time and space.”

“Hold up.” Dinah said, “Say that last part again.”

“He can open a portal to a realm where he is master of time and space.” Polybius repeated before elaborating, “He is normal in our realm, but in his own, he is all-powerful.”

“Has he dragged you down there before?” Dinah asked.

“Yes.” Polybius answered, “Remember those six months Donna, and I vanished?”

“That’s where you two were?” Dinah asked.

“Yep.” Polybius confirmed, “He was targeting me, and... poor Donna just got caught in the middle.”

Polybius then formed a fist with his right hand as he began to recall what had happened to the two during those horrid six months.

“She didn’t deserve any of that.” Polybius went on, anger growing in his voice, “I swear to the fight, that if I ever get my hands on that man, I’ll make him pay for what he did!”

As Polybius finished that sentence, he slammed his fist into the table out of anger. This caused everything on the table to jump a little.

“Hey! Calm down!” Dinah ordered, taking up a slightly more stern tone.

“Sorry.” Polybius apologized quickly, “Just makes me upset.”

“Do you… Want to talk about it?” Dinah asked, losing the sternness in her tone.

“No.” Polybius said, “I will not talk about what happened to Donna because that’s for her to discuss.”

“Her and her PTSD?” Dinah asked.

“So imposter me gave up something?” Polybius asked.

“Imposter you lead me to the conclusion that she had it.” Dinah said, “I formally diagnosed her while you were gone.”

“Clearly imposter me didn’t like taking care of her then.” Polybius said.

“Taking care of her?” Dinah asked.

“Either imposter me didn’t know the details, and therefore couldn’t help her, or he didn’t want to.” Polybius explained, “Donna and I built our special relationship in there and have only strengthened it since leaving. We have been each other’s support person for years on end.”

“I know.” Dinah said, “But imposter you tried directing her to therapy sessions with me.”

“And?” Polybius followed up.

“It never happened.” Dinah answered. “Honestly, it first went to the back burner because something happened to the Team that demanded me, and then the whole mess with imposters, we never got to sit down and do one session.”

Polybius sighed.

“Yeah, well, she won’t now.” Polybius said, “Well, at least not without me there.”

“She did say she wanted you present.” Dinah pointed out.

“So she did consider it?” Polybius asked.

“She did.” Dinah said, “However, again, that was before all of this mess went down. And now that the real you is back, I think she might go back to keeping it just between you two.”

“She will.” Polybius agreed.

Polybius then reached into his pocket and took out his phone that he was delighted to get back. He then went to his text messages and selected Donna.

‘Hey, we need to talk face to face ASAP.’ Polybius texted.

Polybius then put down his phone and went back to this soup.

“With Montezuma back, this will change the game.” Polybius commented.

“Oh?” Dinah asked.

“If he manages to pull someone into his little realm, it’s almost next to impossible to escape.” Polybius explained, “Honestly, Donna and I lucked out, and we just happened to choose the hall that led to an exit.”

“So he didn’t let you two go?” Dinah asked.

“No.” Polybius said, “He’s honestly not the brightest man to ever live, as he’s kinda dull. And I was eventually able to take advantage of his stupidity to get us out.”

“How’d you manage that?” Dinah questioned.

“I was able to convince him to leave our cell door wide open and unlocked.” Polybius explained, “He thought we feared him too much we wouldn’t dare to exit.”

“Wow.” Dinah said, “That is incredibly dumb.”

“It is.” Polybius laughed, “But hey, that’s how it happened. And we got out before he realized we were gone.”

“Well, I’m glad you too did.” Dinah said, “And if you two ever want to come out about what happened, I will always be here.”

“Thanks.” Polybius said.

Polybius’s phone then went off with a text message from Donna.

‘Where?’ Was what Donna replied with.

‘Dinah’s apartment.’ Polybius replied.

Polybius then shifted over to the internet and went to a local but very high-end spa place he knew his adoptive mother liked. It was one of those places that you had to buy a ticket to get into ahead of time, as they didn’t take walk-ins. He then proceeded to buy two tickets to the place.

‘On my way!’ Donna replied.

“Alright.” Polybius spoke up, looking up from his phone, “Donna’s on her way so we can have our talk.”

“Okay.” Dinah said.

“And I bought you two tickets to that really expensive spa place down the street you like.” Polybius said, “You and Oliver can go over there and treat yourself for a few hours while Donna and I work this new development out.”

“About that…” Dinah started.

“What?” Polybius asked, “If you need me to go elsewhere, I can take Donna and go to an empty room. You can keep the tickets. I won’t ever use them.”

“Not that.” Dinah said.

“Then what?” Polybius followed up.

“Oliver and I broke up a few days ago.” Dinah said.

“Again?” Polybius questioned in a, not at all surprised tone.

“I think it might be for good this time.” Dinah added.

“It had better not been over me!” Polybius warned.

“Uh…” Dinah started.

“Oh goddamnit!” Polybius cursed, “Why did you break up with him?”

“He and I got into a really nasty argument.” Dinah said, “We both had a really bad day, and one thing led to another, and he started talking bad about you, then I broke it off.”

“Of course you did.” Polybius said, “Ugh! Mom! How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t give a flying FUCK about what he thinks about me?”

“Yeah, well, I do.” Dinah said, “If things were to ever go to the next step-”

“Just stop.” Polybius cut her off, “I’ll fix this.”

“You’ll fix it?” Dinah asked.

“I fixed it last time.” Polybius pointed out, “If I recall correctly, you two said you weren’t going to get back together. However, when I said that I was going to fix it, I had you two back together in what? Less than 72 hours?”

“Yes.” Dinah answered.

“Exactly!” Polybius said, “Just let me work my magic, and you two will be back together before the week’s out.”

“That’s awfully sweet of you.” Dinah said, “But you don’t have to-”

“Yes, I do.” Polybius cut her off, “Now before I list the reasons why you two are good for each other, who do you want to go to the spa with you?”

“You pick.” Dinah said.

“Diana, it is.” Polybius said as he picked up his phone, “I’m sure she’ll want to have a quick conversation with me.”

“I think she does.” Dinah agreed.

‘Hey, bring Diana as well.’ Polybius texted.

Polybius then put down his phone, and as soon as he did, it went off with a response.

‘Okay.’ Donna replied.

“They are on their way.” Polybius said, “Now then, back to our conversation.”

“Yes?” Dinah asked.

“So the first reason he’s good for you is because he’s rich!” Polybius pointed out.

“Money isn’t that important.” Dinah countered.

“Yeah!” Polybius agreed, “But in this case, you’re marrying about as high as you can go!”

“Who says I’ll marry him?” Dinah asked.

“Hypothetically speaking.” Polybius corrected, “Besides, somebody has to be left in his will.”

“Polybius!” Dinah scolded.

“I’m just saying.” Polybius pointed out, “I mean, he’s a powerless joe, running in the big leagues, with a freakin bow and arrow! I’m sorry, but that’s only a matter of time.”

“Stop talking like he’s gonna die!” Dinah scolded.

“Fine.” Polybius said, “Second point, he’s got a good dick from what I hear!”

“Polybius!” Dinah scolded again, “That’s not what I want to hear!”

“Am I wrong?” Polybius asked.

“Stop it!” Dinah shouted.

“Am. I. Wrong?” Polybius asked again.

Dinah sighed before replying, “No.”

“Exactly!” Polybius said, “Lots of money, and a good dick! That’s two wins right there!”

“Money and a good dick only last in short term relationships.” Dinah countered.

“Yeah, but you two have been on and off for what? 4 years?” Polybius asked, “It was right around the time I started speaking English fluently that you two finally hooked up for the first time.”

“You’re right.” Dinah said.

“Which leads me to my third point!” Polybius said, “You two complement each other greatly! I mean, it’s like bread and butter with you two. Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and cream. Oreos and milk. Hot dog and a bun. Burger and fries. Salt and pepper. Cinnamon and sugar. Spaghetti and meatballs. Pancakes and-”

“Alright!” Dinah spoke up, “I get your point.”

“Sorry.” Polybius apologized, “I got food in front of me, so that’s what I’m thinking about.”

“You made your point.” Dinah repeated.

“So you understand how you two go together?” Polybius asked, but didn’t give her a chance to answer as he would answer it himself, “Good. So now we’ve got that he has money, a good dick, and compliments you greatly! Honestly, what more do ya need?”

“I need him to like you, Polybius.” Dinah pointed out, “No relationship is ever going to work if he doesn’t like you.”

“Mom!” Polybius started, before changing attitude, “How about you tell me what he said, so I can address it directly.”

“He didn’t say anything.” Dinah said, “He started to, but cut himself off.”

“Okay.” Polybius said.

“And he clearly doesn’t understand how much you mean to me.” Dinah added.

“Yeah, well, if you don’t tell him, then he’s not gonna know.” Polybius followed up.

“I tried.” Dinah said.

“No.” Polybius countered, “You’re missing my point.”

Dinah sighed as she had been trying to dance around Polybius’s point. However, it was just like him to cut that off. And she knew exactly what his next words were going to be.

“Mom.” Polybius started in a very calm and sympathetic tone, “You need to tell him that you’re sterile.”

Dinah sighed and shook her head.

“I can’t.” Dinah said, “He’ll leave me if I tell him.”

“Yeah, he’ll be upset to learn that the birth control was a lie.” Polybius agreed, now becoming more serious, “But you’ve gotta tell him. I mean, shoot, what if, after I get you two back together, come February on Valentine’s day, he drops to one knee and pops the question? Then you have to either awkwardly reject him and leave the poor man heartbroken and burn that bridge forever. Or say yes and then awkwardly bring it up later! I mean, ugh, if you wait too long, it’ll be the end of you two. There won’t be any coming back from that. And I promise you that there would be nothing I could do about it.”

“I know.” Dinah acknowledged in a very defeated tone.

“Look, Mom.” Polybius said, now becoming calm and sympathetic again, “I know you’re ashamed of it. But it’s not your fault! They forced that on you.”

“But what will he think?” Dinah asked, “I can’t give him children of his own!”

“You’ll always have me.” Polybius pointed out, “I’m gonna, to be honest here for a minute, at first, I started calling you ‘Mom’ to help you cope with your sterilization, not because I felt that way towards you. Yes, legally, you had adopted me by that point, but I didn’t feel that way towards you. However, as time went on, and we did those ‘mother-son bonding days’ you had us do… I eventually started seeing myself more as your son than your legal responsibility and started seeing you more as my mother than my legal guardian. I stopped calling you ‘Mom’ for you. I found myself calling you Mom because that’s what you are to me! I never had a mother before you and never knew what I was missing out on. You don’t realize it, but you changed me in ways I don’t think you’ll ever truly realize, and that’s okay! Because at the end of the day, even if and when you tell him, or some future boyfriend and they reject you because of it: one, that’s incredibly stupid and narrow-minded of them. But two, and far more importantly, I will always be your son. I don’t think that there is anything either one of us could do at this point for me to think of us as anything else, or for me to EVER stop calling you ‘Mom.’ It doesn’t matter if I call the guy ‘Dad’ or not. What matters is that I AM the son you can never have.”

“Polybius.” Dinah said as she wiped away a tear, “You’re gonna make me cry.”

Polybius then got up from his seat and walked around the table, and hugged his mother tightly. She eagerly returned the hug, and the two shared it for a long moment before Polybius pulled back.

“You’ll always have me, Mom.” Polybius told her, “Family isn’t about blood. It’s about who you make it with. And I will always be your son.”

“Thank you, Polybius.” Dinah said, wiping away another tear, “I needed that.”

“Glad to help.” Polybius said.

“And you’re right.” Dinah said, “I should tell him sooner rather than later. But, ugh, it’s gonna be hard.”

“Well, I think I might know something that may help you.” Polybius said, “Come on, let’s go to the other room. We need a bit more space.”

The two then made their way over to the living room of the apartment and moved the furniture out of the way. They then sat down, and Polybius took up a meditation position. He put his elbows just below his knees and lightly pressed his closed fists together.

“When I was younger, I was deep into meditation.” Polybius started, “I fell out with it not long before I met you guys, as it was actively discouraged there, and never really picked it back up. However, being in that cell, I found myself starting to get back into it again, and I remembered how great it was!”

“So you want to teach me how to meditate?” Dinah asked.

“Yep.” Polybius answered, “Well, at least teach you my way. There are different ways to meditate. I change how I meditate depending on what I’m trying to achieve. My hands, for instance, move depending on what I want. This current position I’m in is one I take when I’m trying to hype myself up.”

“Meditate to hype yourself up?” Dinah asked.

“Yep.” Polybius said, “When I say meditate, you probably think of some old Buddhist monk who is all zen about it and trying to achieve inner peace. And that mediation is only used for that. Which is total bullshit. Where I come from, we meditated to put ourselves in different states of mind for extended periods of time. And, for me at least, it was a huge help.”

“Alright.” Dinah said.

“Have you ever meditated before?” Polybius asked.

“I tried it once.” Dinah said, “But I was drunk, so that went about as well as you think it would.”

“Alright then.” Polybius said, “Well, to start, I’ll go back to my hands. Now, I move them depending on what I’m trying to achieve. Fists together, hyping myself up. Open hands with interlocked fingers, peace with others. Open hands on knees, opening my mind. Hands clasped on my groin, solitude and inner peace. And the more you do it and experiment with different hand positions, you’ll find what works for you.”

“Okay.” Dinah said, understanding what Polybius meant.

“Now, you can choose to open or close your eyes.” Polybius said, “I find when I’m especially troubled, keeping my eyes open and focused on something helps me more than having them closed.”

“Makes sense.” Dinah agreed.

“And lastly, are the chants.” Polybius went on, “I have my own little chants in my native language that I recite. They are essentially little songs with different meanings. However, they only work for me because the words only mean something to me. You have to play around and find what works for you. You don’t have to chant at all. I don’t chant for everything. Usually, when I’m trying to find that inner peace and solitude, I’m silent. But when I’m trying to hype myself up, you bet I’m chanting.”

“Also makes sense.” Dinah said.

“And when you combine them all together with focus, it works.” Polybius finished, “Well, at least for me. Meditating is not for everyone.”

“Well, if it works for you, then I’m sure it can work for me too.” Dinah said, “Honestly, I’ve never been big on meditation, but I’m willing to give it a try!”

“Good!” Polybius said, “Why don’t we play around a little bit with it before Donna and Diana show up.”

With that, the two began experimenting with meditation. Polybius was able to teach Dinah a lot in a very short amount of time, and she decided that she would give it more thought later on. However, they were cut short when Dinah said she needed to get ready for the spa appointment Polybius had gotten her. They then broke it off, and Polybius began thinking about how he was going to approach the Montezuma situation with Donna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 22. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think, and as always, have a good one!


	23. Chapter 23: Greenlit

_Chapter 23_

_Greenlit..._

“Well… At least we’ve got a candidate.” Claudia admitted.

Claudia sat at her computer and was looking over some data about a list of people to possibly use in testing Irene’s new device. However, something had happened where the pool of potential candidates had just been shrunk considerably. Claudia wasn’t fully aware of what had happened, as she had no ties to anyone who worked at that facility because she didn’t usually pull from there. Normally, she pulled her candidates from a different facility. However, her point of contact was under investigation by the ‘The Committee of Ethical Treatment,’ or ‘CET’ for short, for supposed abuse of power and sexual misconduct. Apparently, the claims were that he was sexually abusing and raping male candidates by leveraging his high-ranking position against them.

Claudia didn’t know her point of contact all that well, so she couldn’t really make a good call about whether or not those allegations were true. Regardless though, someone way above her decided that nobody could pull candidates from that facility until the CET’s investigation was over.

Despite this setback, Claudia did have some good news. She visited her ‘friend’ that Irene had wanted her to. Fortunately for her, Claudia knew how to get what she wanted from him, as he was super into her. Of course, Claudia had no interest in ever touching him as she knew he had herpes, and she was not about that life. That, and he was a total creep too. It was so bad that she actually had to change facilities just to get away from him.

However, despite how much she wanted to cut him off, she kept entertaining him because he did have a lot of power within the Organization and was a well-respected figure by those he wasn’t trying to get in bed with. And while complaints had been brought up against him before, they were usually just swept under the rug and forgotten about.

Regardless, while Claudia had entertained him with a quick flash of her breasts to get him to do what she wanted. She swore he was like a teenage boy when they get a boob on their phone for the first time as that man lost his mind. And while she was going to have to put up with him flooding her text messages for at least the next month, he was going to do what she wanted.

Now back in her office, Claudia had just sorted through a pool of candidates, trying to find the best one. That way, as soon as Irene got the notification that her project was greenlit again under Claudia’s management, they could move forward with more testing.

Speaking of Irene, Claudia realized she hadn’t called her ex to inform her of the good news. She picked up her phone and saw that she was already getting text messages from ‘Sir Creeps-a-lot’ as she had him saved in her contacts. She rolled her eyes and ignored them as she moved over to Irene’s number and called.

“Hello?” Irene asked when she picked up the phone.

“Hey Irene.” Claudia greeted.

“Claudia!” Irene greeted happily, “I heard you actually left your office today!”

“Yeah, for you!” Claudia countered, “Well, more for us now.”

“Oh?” Irene asked in a playful tone, “Are we finally gonna get back together?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Claudia replied, “I visited my ‘friend’ today, and he said he was going to get your project greenlighted under my management.”

“YES!” Irene cheered happily over the phone, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Claudia brushed off, “Just be ready to go with a new test. I’ve already reserved a candidate so you and Chief Z can do whatever it is you need to do.”

“Right! Right!” Irene quickly replied, “Yeah, uh, we will get the prototype ready.”

“Good.” Claudia replied, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get back to work.”

“Okay!” Irene said.

With that, Claudia hung up, and her phone went off again with another text message from Sir Creeps-a-lot. She didn’t even acknowledge it as she put her phone on silent and went back to work.

However, not even five minutes later, the customary ten-second buzz that always happened right before the power went out sounded.

“Oh goddamnit!” Claudia cursed as she scrambled to save her work.

And surely enough, ten seconds later, everything except emergency power went out, including Claudia’s computers. She was fortunate enough to get the critical parts of her work saved and would have to hope that the auto-save feature on the Organization’s computers that only sometimes worked would save the rest.

The lights in the room went out for a second until the red emergency light above her door came on and illuminated most of her room. Claudia sighed as she stared at her now black computer screen before leaning back in her chair.

“I wonder how long this one is gonna take?” Claudia questioned out loud.

Meanwhile, back at Dinah’s apartment, a knock at the door had prompted Polybius to get up and go answer it. When he did, he was surprised to see only Diana on the other side and no Donna.

“Hello Polybius!” Diana happily greeted in civilian clothing.

“Hey Diana.” Polybius replied, “Just you?”

“Donna and I weren’t together when you got a hold of her.” Diana explained.

“Ah. Okay.” Polybius said, “Well, I guess you can come in a hangout until Donna gets here.”

The two made their way back to the living room. They both took seats on opposite of the couch.

“Are you feeling better?” Diana asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius replied, “Might be the medicine talking, but otherwise, yeah.”

“Good.” Diana said, “Bruce is very eager to talk to you about the mystery Aztec.”

“He’s no mystery.” Polybius corrected, “He is Montezuma.”

Polybius then filled Diana in on what he had told his mother about the Aztec thus far. However, he left out the part about Donna’s connections to him, as Polybius didn’t want to put that on Diana’s radar. This was at Donna’s request, of course, as she was afraid of how Diana would react.

“Well, I can say that Batman is very eager to hear this.” Diana stated, “After he called him and Green Arrow out by their secret identities, he has been obsessing over him a little bit.”

“Yeah, well, with him being able to slip into his pocket realm, it makes him next to impossible to track.” Polybius stated.

“Well, I’ll relay to Batman what you’ve told me.” Diana said.

“Thank you.” Polybius said, “However, I do need to ask you a favor.”

“Of course.” Diana said, “Anything you need.”

“Well, this really isn’t a favor, as you’ll be doing it regardless, but still, I want to make the personal request.” Polybius started.

“That’s fine.” Diana said, “What do you need, Polybius?”

“I need your help.” Polybius started, “Thinking about this logically, if Montezuma hates me as much as he claims he does, then he may not target me directly. He may target the people I care the most about.”

“And you want me to keep a close eye on Donna.” Diana stated.

“Yes.” Polybius confirmed, “And I’ll have her keep a close eye on you as well as we get along great.”

“We do.” Diana agreed, “But that statement can be applied to pretty much the entire League.”

“Yeah…” Polybius agreed, “I guess everyone is just gonna have to keep a close eye on each other.”

“They are.” Diana agreed, “And I assume that’s the reason you’re moving back in here?”

“Now, yes.” Polybius answered, “I would watch over Donna as well if I could. However, I clearly can’t be in two places at once without standing half-in and half-out of a portal. And last I checked, we don’t have any portal guns.”

“We don’t.” Diana confirmed.

“Exactly.” Polybius said, “And I know I can trust you to do a good job keeping an eye on Donna.”

“Yes you can.” Diana said, “But speaking of Donna, I do have a question for you about her.”

“Fire away!” Polybius said, “Just know that I may not answer it depending on what it is.”

“That’s fine.” Diana said, “But I’m just curious, I’ve already gotten Donna’s perspective on this, but I want to know how you would feel about a relationship with her?”

“What do you mean?” Polybius asked, “Like dating?”

“Yeah!” Diana confirmed.

“Honestly, I’m letting her dictate what we are.” Polybius answered, “I mean, she’s the Amazon, so she’s the one with all the judges bearing down on her and-”

“No, no, no.” Diana cut him off, “I already talked to Donna about this. I want to know how YOU feel.”

“Oh, you want my opinion?” Polybius asked.

“Yes.” Diana said.

“Well…” Polybius started, “Honestly, I would love to!”

“Really?” Diana asked.

“Really!” Polybius confirmed, “As I said earlier, I let her dictate what we are. And while a relationship here is very different from what they are where I come from, I honestly think we’re perfect for each other.”

“I agree with that last part.” Diana said, “But different?”

“Well, you see, where I come from, relationships are less about romance and more strong friendship oriented when compared to how they are here.” Polybius explained, “Which is honestly, what I would want with Donna or any relationship for that matter. I mean, with neither one of us having a sex drive, or reproductive organs for that matter, that kills a lot of romance right there. But what I don’t want to happen is for the social weight of what society says is a relationship to bear down on us and change how we act with each other. I love what we have now, and whether we are best friends or boyfriend and girlfriend, I don’t want that to change.”

“I understand.” Diana said, “You would want it to be yours, not what society says it should be.”

“Exactly!” Polybius confirmed.

“Well I respect that greatly.” Diana said, “Honestly, I sometimes forget that you’re not an American.”

“I’m not!” Polybius said, “You would never guess it since I’ve assimilated so much into this culture. Even dropped by accent for a more American one.”

“Yeah, if I didn’t know you, I would assume that you were born and raised here.” Diana said.

“What’s even scarier is English isn’t my first language.” Polybius pointed out, “Yet with how good I am at it, you’d never guess.”

“I remember how much of a challenge it was for you to learn it.” Dinah said as she walked into the room.

“Hello Dinah.” Diana greeted.

“Hello.” Dinah returned, “No Donna yet?”

“Nope.” Polybius answered, “But, going back, how long did it take me to learn English? About a year before I started speaking it fluently?”

“That sounds about right.” Dinah said.

“Thought so.” Polybius said, “I remember for a long time, it was a big game of charades around here cause I’d forget a word or didn’t build sentences right, and they sounded awful.”

“It couldn’t have been that bad.” Diana pointed out, “I remember you speaking good English the first time I saw you after we got back.”

“That was ten months later.” Polybius said, “By that point, I had finally reworked my brain to comprehend how English sentences were built. Because my native language is a lot closer to the ancient Latin that the Romans during the time of Augustus would have spoken than any other language. And even then, it is still very different considering that’s about two thousand years old.”

“Do you still speak your native language?” Diana asked.

“Very seldom.” Polybius answered, “I’ve started to use it more since I got back into meditation, and all my chants are in my native language, and all the words don’t translate over to English very well, if at all. But, and I didn’t realize this until I got back into meditation, that I actually stopped thinking in my native language and started thinking in English.”

“Wow.” Diana said.

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed, “Sad part is, I’m also finding it harder to remember my native language. I mean, ever since I arrived here, I don’t use it. I don’t read in it, I don’t write in it, I don’t speak it, I don’t hear it, I don’t think in it. I almost feel like I’m losing a part of myself, honestly.”

“Then why don’t you write it down.” Dinah offered, “Or record yourself speaking in your native language to help you remember it.”

“Maybe.” Polybius said, “Or maybe doing my chants while meditating will help bring it back in my mind.”

“Hopefully.” Dinah couldn’t help but agree.

Meanwhile, Claudia continued to review her board above her desk. The power was still out, and the red light wasn’t really doing much to help her. However, she was making do with what she had at her disposal and continued her work searching for entity 82.

However, Claudia was shocked out of her work when she heard multiple nearby gunshots ring out. This was subsequently followed by the sounds of bodies hitting the floor and screaming. However, the screaming wasn’t coming from Claudia as she froze in fear, waiting to see what was going to happen as those shots sounded almost like they were right outside her door, and she knew that if she made any noise, the people firing the weapons would be on her.

However, luck would not be on her side today, as not even ten seconds after the last gunshot was fired, somebody kicked down the office door. This caused Claudia to stumble back in fear as a group of people wearing gas masks came storming into her office.

“Don’t shoot!” Claudia begged as she threw her hands up in the air.

Three men entered the room, each of them armed with M4A1s. They didn’t shoot, but rather the first one rushed Claudia and body-slammed her into her desk. This knocked the wind out of Claudia and hurt her spine the most, as that is what she landed on.

“Get up!” The man shouted as he grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and practically lifted her off the desk.

Now back on her feet, Claudia was dazed and nauseous. However, her mind quickly snapped out of it when she found herself looking down the barrel of an M4.

“Please don’t kill me.” Claudia weakly begged, “I- I’ll give you whatever you want!”

“What you work on!?” The one with the gun in her face demanded, his Japanese accent now very clear.

“82.” Claudia replied, “I work on Entity 82.”

For someone with a Japanese accent, Claudia couldn’t help but notice how tall he was. Not that she was exactly a tall girl. In fact, she was just slightly shorter than the American average. However, she also knew that Japanese men weren’t exactly known for their height.

“Wait.” Another one of them spoke up, his accent clearly midwestern American, “82?”

“Y- Yes.” Claudia said, “That’s what I focus on.”

“Hm.” The second man replied, “Well if that’s the case, then I guess this is your lucky day.”

“Huh?” Claudia asked.

Rather than shoot her and blow her brains out, the second man quickly rushed her and smacked her across the face with the butt of his rifle. This knocked Claudia off her feet, and she hit the ground hard. The hit had also cut open her face, and blood quickly began to pool out of it and on the floor below her.

Meanwhile, back in Mount Justice, the Team minus Robin and Artemis, who were with Batman and Green Arrow, respectively, had just received the news that Polybius and Batman had been found from Red Tornado. They all cheered before the next obvious question came up.

“So when is Polybius gonna come back?” Superboy asked.

“As of right now, Polybius has requested to live with Black Canary for the moment.” Red Tornado explained.

“Why?” Miss Martian asked.

“There has been a series of developments that have arisen since they escaped.” Red Tornado explained.

“Developments?” Kid Flash, who had by now, mostly recovered from his head injury, asked.

“While Polybius escaped on his own, not long after he left, a man came looking for him.” Red Tornado explained, “He claims to know Polybius, and also hates him.”

“Hates Polybius?” Superboy asked.

“That is all I know as of now.” Red Tornado said, “However, I’m sure once Polybius recovers from his illness, he will enlighten you on this situation.”

“Well, what about the people who kidnapped Polybius?” Zatanna asked, “Surely we’ve gotta know something about them.”

“They call themselves ‘The Fellowship of The Mistress.’” Red Tornado explained, “However, the man who came looking for Polybius killed everyone who wasn’t a prisoner there. And all of the technology wiped itself before the League could access it.”

“The Fellowship of The Mistress?” Miss Martian questioned, “Who are they?”

“We do not know.” Red Tornado answered, “Not even the Batman was aware of their existence until recently.”

“Woah.” Kid Flash said, “If Batman doesn’t know who they are, they’re either new or really good at hiding.”

“Anything else?” Aqualad asked, trying to pry for information.

“Negative.” Red Tornado replied, “As of right now, with the lack of information regarding them, we are not going to make any moves.”

“So we’re just gonna wait for them to come and retake Polybius?” Superboy asked.

“No.” Red Tornado said, “This goes back to the reason Polybius wanted to move back in with his mother.”

“He doesn’t want to get left alone.” Aqualad stated the obvious, “And with how often he gets left alone in Mount Justice while we are all out on mission, he believes it is safer for him to stay with her than it is to live here.”

“I believe so.” Red Tornado confirmed, “However, I have not heard Polybius’s reasoning directly as I have yet to see him.”

“Will he still be working here?” Superboy quickly followed up.

“Yes.” Red Tornado replied, “He has not expressed any desire to leave his current position.”

“Well, if he is coming back, then we had better tidy up Mount Justice then.” Aqualad spoke up, “It would be rude to have him return from such a difficult experience to only then force a lot of unnecessary work down his throat.”

As the Team began to clean up Mount Justice, meanwhile, back at Dinah’s apartment, the conversation they were having had moved to a more light-hearted tone as Polybius brought up what he did on Diana’s birthday with the Wonder Woman costumes and the male strippers.

“I still can’t believe you picked my lock to get into my house!” Diana accused, but in a playful tone.

“Is that how you think I got in?” Polybius questioned, matching the playfulness of her tone.

“W- Wait!” Diana said, “You’re telling me you, and all of your skills, didn’t pick the lock?”

“No!” Polybius sharply countered, “You were betrayed!”

“Betrayed?” Diana asked, “By who?”

“Donna gave me a key.” Polybius answered.

“She did not!” Diana said, laughing between words.

“Yes she did!” Polybius said, “She was in on it the whole time! How else was I supposed to figure out your schedule!”

“By the gods…” Diana said, still laughing.

“How did you not know?” Polybius asked.

“I didn’t think she would let that happen to me.” Diana replied.

“Oh, don’t act so betrayed!” Polybius teased, “You know you loved my ass in your face!”

“Yeah, well, there was the time I broke into your apartment and covered the entire place with sticky notes.” Diana countered.

“Oh yeah.” Polybius said, recalling that memory, “Did you get the key from Donna as well?”

“Yes.” Diana answered.

“Oh, oh.” Polybius laughed, “Sounds like we got a double-crosser among us.”

“Sure does.” Diana agreed, “Maybe it’s time we set aside our little war and narrow our target.”

“Maybe just once.” Polybius tempted the idea, “But our war isn’t over.”

“Oh, of course not.” Diana said, “Still have to figure out how I’m gonna get you back for my birthday surprise.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t yet.” Polybius pointed out, “But I can’t wait to see what you come up with.”

“Oh, trust me.” Diana said, “You won’t.”

Polybius laughed at the ominous playful threat. However, before he could come up with a witty remark, there was a knock at the door.

“That must be Donna!” Polybius said, standing up.

“I’ll get it.” Dinah said, walking towards the door from the kitchen.

Sure enough, it was indeed Donna in civilian clothes.

“Hello, Dinah.” Donna greeted, “Polybius said he needed to talk to Diana and me.”

“Come on in!” Dinah said, “Polybius has already talked to Diana but wants to talk to you alone, so the two of us are heading out.”

“Oh.” Donna said, clearly a little confused, “Okay.”

The two then talked to the living room where Polybius and Diana were.

“Geez.” Polybius groaned, “I need some more people with more diverse names.”

“What’s wrong with our names?” Dinah asked.

“They all sound very similar.” Polybius pointed out.

“No, they don’t.” Diana countered.

“Dinah, Diana, Donna. Dinah, Diana, Donna. Dinah, Diana, Donna.” Polybius quickly said, “Sounds like a group of gang members.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we’re not a gang then.” Diana pointed out.

“Yeah.” Polybius started, in a calm tone, “Clearly though, women with Ds love me… Wait a minute.”

It was too late as Dinah, Diana, and Donna all broke down laughing hard.

“T- That’s not what I meant!” Polybius shouted, also laughing hard, “I forgot that D means something else!”

Nobody was able to respond as they were all laughing too hard. It took the room a minute to recover.

“Oh my gosh!” Dinah was the first to be able to form words, “Polybius!”

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Polybius stated again.

“With how dirty your humor is!” Diana started, “I refuse to believe that was unintentional.”

“I forgot what D meant!” Polybius stated, “There isn’t a word for ‘dick’ in my language!”

“By the gods!” Donna managed out, “Polybius! That was too funny!”

“I’m sorry.” Polybius said, “I forgot that D means dick, okay?”

“J- Just don’t say that again.” Dinah laughed.

“Only when it’s funny.” Polybius said, “But otherwise… Donna, are you crying?”

“N- No!” Donna said as she tried to hide her tears.

“I think you broke Donna.” Diana laughed.

Polybius laughed even harder. However, it wasn’t long after that that the group finally recovered. From there, Dinah and Diana took off for their spa appointment, leaving Polybius and Donna alone to talk about the return of Montezuma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 23. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't be afraid to let me know what you think of it, and as always, have a good one!


	24. Chapter 24: It's Official

_Chapter 24_

_It's Official..._

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Donna started.

“Not here.” Polybius said, “Let’s head to my room. Further away from the front door. Don’t want to be overheard.”

The two then made their way to Polybius’s room and closed the door behind them. Donna took a seat on the end of the bed while Polybius walked over to the window and leaned up against the frame facing Donna. He initially didn’t say anything as he thought about the best way to approach this.

“Are you alright?” Donna asked, “You seem troubled.”

“Aside from the fact that I’m sick, no, I am not alright.” Polybius answered, “Not at all.”

“Then what’s wrong?” Donna asked, “You can tell me anything!”

Polybius didn’t immediately reply as he thought about what to say.

“Now, before we start…” Polybius said as he got off the window and approached Donna, “I just want you to know that I love you.”

“And I love you too!” Donna replied happily but still confused.

Donna immediately began to think that something terrible was about to happen between them and felt a tidal wave of dread wash over her as she awaited his next words.

“Is something wrong between us?” Donna asked.

“Not us!” Polybius quickly corrected, allowing Donna to have a huge sigh of relief, “Never between us.”

“Oh, thank the gods!” Donna was relieved.

“You won’t be saying that here in a moment.” Polybius said.

“Then what?” Donna asked.

Polybius took a deep breath, and he decided that there was no good way to put it, so he was just going to be blunt about it.

He then made eye contact with Donna and quickly stated, “Montezuma is back.”

The look in her eyes was like watching glass shatter. Polybius immediately saw the shock, and time just seemed to stop for her. He could tell that she was not expecting to hear that come out of his mouth and watched as fear now quickly filled where shock had once been.

“N- No!” Donna managed out, “T- This is a j- joke!? Right!? H- He can’t be back!”

“He is.” Polybius asserted.

Donna began shaking her head in disbelief.

“No!” Donna shouted.

Polybius then quickly dropped down and took a seat next to her on the bed. He quickly pulled her into a comforting hug as she tried, and failed, to fight tears.

“It’s gonna be alright.” Polybius told her.

“No, it’s not!” Donna shouted, pulling out of the embrace, “After everything he did to us, how can you say that!?”

“Because we need to be optimistic.” Polybius explained.

“Polybius! Remember what he did to me!?” Donna shouted, “I know you do because h- he forced you to watch!”

“Donna, please calm down.” Polybius tried to calm her, “Alright, yes, I remember what happened, and I refuse to let it happen again. We are not as naive as we were then, and we will get through this. Just like last time.”

“I want to believe you, Polybius.” Donna started, “But we lucked out last time! There was no skill or master plan that got us out. It was pure luck!”

“Not all of it.” Polybius said, “Remember, we had to convince him to leave the door open.”

“Polybius, we got out because we just happened to pick the right path!” Donna pointed out, “And if he’s back, I doubt he’ll be as foolish as he was last time!”

“Of course.” Polybius agreed, “Even brute beasts and wandering birds do not fall in the same traps or nets twice.”

“Then how are we going to beat him!?” Donna demanded.

“We’ll find a way.” Polybius assured her, “Just as we always do.”

“I don’t know Polybius.” Donna admitted, “After everything that he did to us… How can you be so confident that we’ll win!?”

“Because that is an old saying that I sorta coined when I was younger.” Polybius said, “And recently, when I was held in captivity, I sorta had a bit of an awakening and realized just how disconnected I had become from my past self.”

“That’s great, but I don’t see how that helps us.” Donna said, “What is the saying?”

“Trust in yourself. Trust in the fight. And victory will be on your side.” Polybius stated.

“Polybius…” Donna started, “I’m sorry, but that doesn’t make any sense. Can you please explain it?”

“I can’t.” Polybius said, “You have to learn it.”

“Learn it?” Donna asked, “This isn’t a good time for learning Polybius! This is a good time for figuring out how we are gonna beat Montezuma!”

“We will beat Montezuma.” Polybius assured her, “But as of right, there is nothing we can do.”

“Nothing!?” Donna asked.

“Yes, nothing.” Polybius explained, “All I know right now is what we already know. That he hates me for some unknown reason, and his powers. We don’t know what his plan is, so all we can do now is bide our time and prepare.”

“And then what?” Donna asked, “Wait for him to strike?”

“And prepare for his strike.” Polybius corrected, “Remember, Montezuma isn’t smart. He is incredibly dumb, and we can exploit that!”

“How?” Donna asked.

“We’ll figure it out on the fly.” Polybius answered with a sense of optimism in his tone.

“I wish I could share your optimism.” Donna said, “But after everything that’s happened… I don’t believe that it’s going to be as easy as you’re trying to make it sound.”

“It’s not.” Polybius admitted, “But if we completely submerge ourselves in the negative, we will drown in it and become hateful monsters. We must have a breath of positivism if we are going to not only survive this test but defeat him as well. Alright? Now let’s take a deep breath of that positivism. Deep in.”

Polybius took in a deep breath himself, hoping Donna would follow his lead in an attempt to calm her down. However, this wasn’t working as he could tell her mind was going a million miles an hour thinking about Montezuma. That, and she also wasn’t breathing with him.

“Hey, look at me.” Polybius said in a calm yet commanding tone.

Polybius then raised a hand to her chin and guided her face to look at him.

“Everything is going to be alright.” Polybius repeated.

Donna let out a long sigh before replying, “I wish I could believe you, Polybius. I really do, and I’m sure that if this were any other situation, I would, but not this. Not with Montezuma.”

“How often am I wrong?” Polybius asked.

“I don’t know.” Donna replied, trying to avoid the question.

“Yes you do.” Polybius called her out, “You know how often I’m wrong.”

“I do…” Donna admitted.

“Which is…” Polybius started.

“Next to never.” Donna finished.

“Exactly!” Polybius said, “So you should believe me when I say ‘everything is going to be alright’ because it is. Now come on, deep breath in.”

After doing a few breaths to calm her down, she finally did. Polybius could see the more reasonable and rational part of her mind take over again as she calmed down.

“You’re right.” Donna finally said, “We will beat Montezuma. This time, without luck!”

“There’s the Donna I’m looking for!” Polybius happily cheered.

Donna’s attitude then subtlety changed as she then leaned into Polybius.

“So…” Donna started, “With Montezuma back, are you finally going to get involved?”

“You should define ‘involved’ before I answer that.” Polybius told her.

“Ah, well, you know!” Donna started, “You actually take up the fight and join in with the League or even… me?”

“We’ve been over this.” Polybius sternly stated.

“Oh come on!” Donna whined, “Who’s gonna help me if Montezuma comes!”

“You are very capable.” Polybius pointed out, “Plus, I’ve already talked to and tasked out Diana. So you two can lean on each other for backup and support.”

“Wait.” Donna said, suddenly going back to a serious tone.

“Don’t worry.” Polybius said, “I didn’t tell her what happened, nor did I even put it on her radar. I only told her that you are a likely target.”

“Thank you.” Donna said.

“Although, it may be only a matter of time before you are forced to tell her.” Polybius pointed out.

“I know.” Donna said, “Dinah says I have post traumatic stress disorder.”

“I agree with that analysis.” Polybius stated.

“Which is why I need you.” Donna said, now taking up a more damsel tone, “What will I ever do if Montezuma comes back?”

“You’ll protect yourself.” Polybius answered, “You have Diana, and she is equally as capable as you are.”

“But she doesn’t know Montezuma.” Donna said, “Not like you!”

“I’ve briefed her on what most I know.” Polybius explained.

“But she’s not you.” Donna pressed.

“Well, you’ll have to settle for less then.” Polybius said, “But with my mother living alone, somebody needs to be here to keep an eye on her.”

“Yeah, but we’re the ones that have a history with him.” Donna went on.

“Doesn’t mean you’ll get targeted twice.” Polybius said, “We don’t know what his plan is, so for now, we wait.”

“But what if I leave Diana and try to do my own thing?” Donna teased.

“Why would you ever do that?” Polybius questioned.

Donna let out a sigh of frustration at Polybius’s denseness. She wasn’t sure if he was doing it intentionally or if he just really didn’t understand what she was trying to get at.

“Look, Donna.” Polybius started, “We’ve been over this before as to why I chose not to get involved.”

“Yep, intentional.” Donna muttered, now having her answer.

“Yes, intentional.” Polybius agreed, “I chose not to fight.”

“Come on!” Donna groaned, “This situation is different! It’s Montezuma we’re talking about here! Not some random low-life, but the Montezuma!”

“Donna.” Polybius spoke up in a more stern tone, “You know me better than anyone, better than my own mother. However, there are still things I’ve been through, seen, and done that still haunt me to this day. Things I’ve never told you about, and probably never will.”

“Because you don’t trust me?” Donna asked, feigning hurt.

“Because I don’t like to nor want to talk about them.” Polybius corrected, “Just like how you don’t like to talk about Montezuma with anyone but me, I don’t like to talk to anyone about that stuff but me.”

Donna sighed in defeat, prompting Polybius to take up a more sympathetic tone.

“It’s not you.” Polybius assured her, “But I’m tired of fighting Donna. And while I will get up and fight for you or anyone else I care about, as I have before, my days of activism are well and truly over.”

“Never say never.” Donna pointed out with a slight sense of hope in her tone, “Fate works in mysterious ways.”

“You know I don’t believe in that junk.” Polybius said, “I have control of my life, and no one else. Everything that happens to me is because I chose this life, and not because some perfume-nosed, stuck-up, power-drunk assholes that chose to fashion themselves as supposed ‘gods’ say so.”

“Geez, Polybius.” Donna started, “That was kinda harsh.”

“Yeah, well, it’s true.” Polybius said, “I don’t care for ‘gods.’”

“But you do care for me!” Donna piped up.

“Well duh!” Polybius stated.

“And you care for me more than anyone else.” Donna said again.

“I just said that.” Polybius said.

“Well… what if… You found out it was- no, is my dream for the two of us to go dynamic duo?” Donna asked.

“Is that what this has been leading up to?” Polybius asked.

“Yes.” Donna answered, “I asked imposter you about it, and... well, he gave me hope that you might consider it!”

“And what makes you think I would?” Polybius asked, “I fooled the imposter to act obnoxious so you all would figure out it wasn’t me!”

“Yeah, but… Just finally hearing him say those words that I’ve wanted to hear you say for years, and in your voice too! It gave me hope that maybe it could actually happen and be a thing!” Donna explained.

“Well, whatever promises he made you are not a reflection of my own desires.” Polybius stated.

“I know.” Donna said, “But still… Would you even consider it?”

“Well, consider your framing this to try and be subtle that this is what you want, without directly saying this is what you want. That kinda puts me on the spot now, doesn’t it.” Polybius pointed out.

“Well…” Donna started, “I would really like to go dynamic duo with you.”

Polybius let out a long sigh.

“Oh come on!” Donna pushed, “I’ve been thinking about splitting from Diana anyway. If you come along, it would be perfect!”

“You have?” Polybius questioned, referring to the split from Diana.

“Yes!” Donna said, “I’ve wanted to get out from under her shadow recently. Be my own hero! I’ve even got a new name!”

“Which is…” Polybius asked.

“Troia.” Donna replied.

“Troia.” Polybius repeated, “I do like that name. A lot, actually!”

“Really!?” Donna asked, seeking his approval.

“I do.” Polybius answered, “Going solo as Troia would be a very nice thing for you.”

“But I wouldn’t be solo if I was with you!” Donna pointed out, “We could be Troia and Purple Eagle.”

“Purple Eagle is an old name.” Polybius said, “One I don’t use anymore and left behind.”

“Then we can come up with a different name!” Donna countered.

“Yeah, we’d be called ‘Troia and her Bitch!’” Polybius joked.

“No it wouldn’t!” Donna said, “I’m sure you, or rather we, could come up with a good name.”

“We could.” Polybius agreed, “But ‘Donna’s Bitch' would be an accurate representation of what that kind of dynamic duo would probably be.”

“I think a better way to look at it would be the brains and the bronze.” Donna said.

“Both of which, you have.” Polybius pointed out, “While I when compared to you, lack the latter.”

“But when compared to you, I lack the former.” Donna countered.

“You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for.” Polybius said.

“Oh come on!” Donna groaned, “Will you at least consider it!? Please!”

Polybius let out a long sigh as he thought about the proposition.

“How about this.” Polybius started, “I know for a fact that I’m going to get dragged much deeper into this Montezuma situation than I would really want to be because this random asshole hates me for no clear reason as of now. And I can foresee myself getting dragged into missions relating to him as I would be a subject matter expert.”

“So…” Donna started.

“So it may awaken the warrior inside me again.” Polybius admitted, “I may change my mind and finally allow myself to get dragged back into the fighting.”

“So is that a ‘yes?’” Donna asked hopefully.

“It’s a ‘we’ll see.’” Polybius corrected.

Donna let out a squeal of excitement as she then moved to hug him. She was so happy to hear that as that was the best answer, she had ever gotten from him.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself.” Polybius cautioned her, “With me, a ‘we’ll see’ is a ‘we’ll see.’ Not a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’”

“I know, I know!” Donna replied, “I’m just so happy that you are finally considering it!”

“I wouldn’t really say that.” Polybius countered, taking Donna off guard, “I would say that I’m simply acknowledging the fact that this situation may change me.”

“Still.” Donna said, “Best answer I’ve ever heard you say!”

“You mean the closest thing to the answer you want to hear.” Polybius corrected.

“Whatever.” Donna brushed off.

“Now, there is something I want to ask you.” Polybius started, “Now, you don’t have to say yes to this, as I’ve always allowed you to dictate what we are.”

“You want to go from complicated to official?” Donna asked.

“Yes.” Polybius confirmed.

“Good!” Donna said, “Because I was gonna ask you the same thing once you started feeling better.”

Polybius then returned Donna’s embrace.

“About time.” Polybius commented.

After sharing a warm embrace for a short while, they broke it off.

“Now obviously, I don’t want to put it on blast that we’re together.” Donna said, “I still don’t want my mother or sisters to figure it out.”

“Of course.” Polybius agreed, “I don’t need that kind of target on my back either.”

“So then, only the people closest to us will know.” Donna said.

“I would like that.” Polybius said, “I don’t need my face on G. Gordon’s network talking shit about me.”

“Neither one of us need or want that.” Donna agreed, “He did a bit on me last week.”

“He did?” Polybius asked.

Polybius couldn’t stand G. Gordon and had an intense and personal hatred for that man. While Gordon had never talked about Polybius as he was fairly certain that Gordon didn’t know he existed, Gordon had talked about his friends and family. Every time G. Gordon talked, it was nothing but ugly conspiracy theories with no base in logic and zero evidence to back it. In fact, to Polybius, it sounded much more like personal attacks at the people he was closest to and not constructive criticism as Gordon claimed. This only resolved to anger Polybius to the point where he couldn’t even hear the man’s voice without getting mad.

“He did.” Donna confirmed, “Talked about how my uniform, as well as Diana’s are too revealing.”

“They cover up what they need to, don’t they?” Polybius asked.

“They do.” Donna said, “Still, I don’t like being compared to a ‘show girl.’”

“Oh that’s low.” Polybius commented.

“Yep.” Donna agreed, “Said that ‘show girls have more modesty than these so-called wonders.’”

“I don’t see that.” Polybius said, “I mean, you wear a tight jumpsuit, and Diana wears a strapless one-piece swimsuit. The showgirls I’ve seen tend to be wearing bras that only cover their nipples and dental floss that their ass and vagina has eaten.”

Donna couldn’t help but giggle at Polybius’s statement.

“Am I wrong?” Polybius asked.

“No, you’re not.” Donna said.

“Exactly.” Polybius said, “Dude’s a freaking prick, and if I ever see him, he’s getting knocked the hell out.”

“I like how you get so defensive about me.” Donna commented.

“Yeah, well, you two, as well as the rest of the League, should sue him.” Polybius stated.

“Sue him?” Donna asked, “For what?”

“For defamation and slander.” Polybius said, “I mean, it’s clear that he’s making derogatory remarks about you two that is affecting your guys’ reputation.”

“Well, I know Diana would be inclined to agree with you.” Donna said, “I mean, I don’t know how much longer that bit went on as Diana punched the TV.”

“Yeah, well, if somebody was saying I dressed like a hoe, I’d probably punch the TV too.” Polybius supported.

“I wanted to go down there and choke the hell out of him.” Donna said, “But the League says if we respond, we’ll only encourage them.”

“You know, I’m not an expert on how the legal system works here, but I think it can be made to where he can’t talk about the lawsuit.” Polybius pointed out.

“Still, the League won’t allow it.” Donna said.

“Oh well.” Polybius said, “You win some, you lose some.”

“Yeah.” Donna agreed, “But, now that we’re official, we should, you know, set up a date.”

“Don’t we do that all the time?” Polybius asked, “I mean, every time we hang out is sorta a date, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but…” Donna started but trailed off as she couldn’t figure out how to word what she wanted to say.

“You want to do something together as an official couple?” Polybius asked.

“Yeah!” Donna said.

“Well, as of right now, I’m sick.” Polybius stated, “However, once I am feeling better and reestablished everything that I need too in the wake of my absence, we’ll set something up. Promise!”

“I can’t wait!” Donna said.

“Neither can I.” Polybius agreed.

There was a pause in the conversation before Donna spoke up again.

“So you said you were getting in touch with your past self?” Donna asked.

“I am.” Polybius said, “Gotten back in meditation recently. Something I stopped doing for a long time.”

“So I’ve got a few questions about it.” Donna said.

“Well, how about rather than answer them, I show!” Polybius said.

The two then took seats on the floor and faced each other. Polybius then explained to Donna everything he had explained to his mother earlier.

“And this stuff works?” Donna asked.

“You have to learn it.” Polybius explained, “And it may not be for you. But I know that this works for me, and I’m going to get back into it.”

“Maybe if I do it with you, I’ll pick it up.” Donna admitted.

“Maybe.” Polybius said, “Or maybe you’ll find it on your own. It’s all about you, not me.”

A few more hours passed by before Dinah and Diana returned from their spa appointment. Both women were very thankful that Polybius did that for them and assured him that they would pay him back for it. However, Polybius insisted that they had already done more than enough for him and didn’t need to do that. They didn’t fight him on it, as they knew he was going to just be persistent but silently agreed to pay him back for it later.

It wasn’t long after that, that Diana and Donna left the apartment, leaving just Dinah and Polybius.

“So how’d your talk with Donna go?” Dinah asked as soon as they left.

“Well, for starters, it went from complicated to official!” Polybius happily declared.

“Alright!” Dinah cheered her son.

Dinah held up her hand for a high-five, and Polybius took it.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Dinah said, “About time you reeled her in!”

Polybius laughed, which quickly transitioned into a nasty cough that caught him off guard. It took him a moment to recover and recompose himself.

“So anything else you want to discuss?” Dinah asked.

“Other than we’ve just got to keep an eye out for Montezuma, no.” Polybius said.

“Okay.” Dinah said.

“Also…” Polybius said, “I forgot to tell you this earlier, but Donna doesn’t really want everyone knowing about her connections to him. So for now, let’s keep that on the down-low.”

“I got you.” Dinah agreed, “It’ll only come up if it’s relevant and important.”

“Thanks.” Polybius said, “But also, Donna and myself decided to keep our relationship on the down-low as well as to keep a target off my back.”

“Of course!” Dinah assured him.

“Good.” Polybius said, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go slam some more medicine before I die of this damn cough.”

Meanwhile, Diana and Donna had just started to fly home when Diana broke the ice.

“So?” Diana asked, “How did it go?”

“We’re official!” Donna declared.

“That’s wonderful!” Diana said, “About time you two got together!”

“I know!” Donna said, “I feel so free finally being able to get together with him!”

“Now, are you two going to go public with it, or no?” Diana followed up.

“No.” Donna said, “Polybius doesn’t want that target on his back.”

“Makes sense.” Diana agreed, “Well, maybe we’ll have to do a double date sometime.”

“Double date?” Donna asked.

“You, me, Polybius, and Steve.” Diana offered, “Polybius has only met Steve a handful of times, but I think they would get along.”

“I thought Steve was jealous of Polybius.” Donna said, “I mean, Polybius can get you to laugh like no one else.”

“I think if you two come together as a couple, that would alleviate that.” Diana pointed out.

“You’re probably right.” Donna agreed.

“But regardless, good job, little sister!” Diana cheered.

“Thanks!” Donna replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 24. I hope you enjoyed this, and as always, have a good one!


	25. Chapter 25: Cultural Differences

_Chapter 25_

_Cultural_ _Differences..._

Claudia wanted to open her eyes, but the bright light shining directly in her face made it nearly impossible to do so. She didn’t know why somebody decided that it was a good idea to shine a bright LED light right in her face, but she wanted to strangle them for it. What made it worse is she could not find the strength to turn her head away from the light, leaving her to helplessly suffer.

“Claudia?” She heard Irene’s voice question.

“The light.” Claudia muttered out.

“Sure thing!” Irene said.

Turning off the light, Claudia was finally able to open her eyes. She was surprised to see that she was in her quarters and not the medical bay. She would have figured with the massive hit she took on her head that she would be getting treated for a concussion right now.

“How’s your face feeling?” Irene asked.

Claudia’s eyes shifted over to her ex, who looked a little worse for wear. She looked like she badly needed sleep and was fighting to stay awake at that moment.

“Fine.” Claudia muttered, unable to feel any pain.

“Good.” Irene said, “Means the IV is working.”

Looking over to the other side of her bed, Claudia saw an IV running down her arm and into her hand. She couldn’t help but wonder why it was there as the injury was on her face. However, she quickly pushed this question aside as she knew next to nothing about standard medical procedures within the Organization. She had always relied on Doctor Wojtek to tell her how they operated.

“Who attacked us?” Claudia asked.

“The Insurgency.” Irene answered.

“Of course.” Claudia groaned.

The Insurgency’s full name was ‘The Insurgency for Peace.’ They had, at first, been a splinter group from the Organization that turned hostile about a decade ago. Claudia remembered that time as it was the most chaotic the Organization had ever been. At least so long as she had been with it.

She also had lost a few friends to the Insurgency. Both killed and recruited by them.

“What’s the damage?” Claudia followed up.

“37 personnel killed, 18 wounded, and 3 entities missing, presumably all abducted and never to be seen again.” Irene answered.

“Oh great.” Claudia started, “They have no idea what they’re doing.”

The reason the Insurgency had split from the Organization all came down to killing. The Organization acknowledged that it didn’t know everything about the entities they contained and feared the results of exterminating them. Claudia had seen first hand before when Entity 13 was killed in an experiment gone wrong when she was seventeen.

What had happened was a massive 8.7 magnitude earthquake was set-off where the entity had died. It destroyed the entire facility, and she was one of only six survivors. The earthquake was so bad, it was felt all the way from Rome to Metropolis, causing extensive damage and a huge loss of life.

On the other hand, the Insurgency argued that the entities were too dangerous to be left alive, as several of them, namely 82, and should be disposed of. They pointed out how many people had died because of these entities and did everything they could to destroy them.

“Did anyone else pile on?” Claudia followed up.

“No.” Irene answered.

The Insurgency wasn’t the only group the Organization had issues with. There were other groups who actively worked against the Organization as well. Claudia knew the most troublesome ones dubbed ‘The Devil’s Dozen.’ The Insurgency was ranked number 3 on that list. However, there were other, smaller groups that did work against the Organization as well.

“That’s good.” Claudia said, “But what I want to know, Irene, is how did your department fail to protect us in this attack?”

“They got us during a drill.” Irene said, “Well, not during the drill itself, but the after-briefing of the drill. We were about five minutes away from wrapping up when the automatic, blast-proof doors locked us all in the room.”

“I thought the security department had to have at least 75% of staff on duty at all times.” Claudia pointed out.

“Nobody listens to that.” Irene admitted, “Usually, only 50% are actually on and doing work. The rest are usually drunk.”

“But of course!” Claudia said, anger now rising in her voice, “The entire damn department has a drinking problem!”

“You aren’t wrong there.” Irene admitted.

“And where were you and Chief Z!?” Claudia asked, “Doing each other in the latrine!?”

“First off, after seeing his Pornhub search history, gross!” Irene corrected, getting defensive, “And secondly, Chief Z is on life support right now, with about a 50% chance of recovering.”

Claudia sighed in an effort to calm herself down.

“I’m sorry.” Claudia said, in a calmer tone, “I’m just a little frustrated over this whole thing.”

“We all are.” Irene said, “They got us bad, and this whole facility is in shock over it.”

“Because of your department’s failures.” Claudia pointed out.

“Neither Chief Z nor I do actual security work.” Irene said, “We just create new toys. That’s it. We don’t stack bodies. That’s for the grunts.”

“Go figures.” Claudia sighed before changing the subject, “So how long until I can get back to work?”

“Soon.” Irene said, “The medical bay is too small and way too overwhelmed right now with the small strep throat outbreak we’ve had down here. Put this attack on top of it, and they don’t have the people to deal with this.”

“They never do.” Claudia stated.

As their conversation devolved into less important topics meanwhile, Dinah and Oliver were both enjoying the breakfast date Polybius had put them on. The young man had kept his promise on getting them back together.

The two had finished their breakfast long ago and were now taking a long walk down the beach. Both of them knew it was very cliche, but Dinah was the one who had asked for this. It would mean the two of them would be alone, so she could finally tell Oliver what Polybius had been pushing her to tell him since they first got together.

Dinah was admittedly quite nervous but was hiding it. She wasn’t making eye contact with him as she thought about how she was going to break it to him.

“I’m glad Polybius got us back together.” Oliver spoke up, breaking the silence.

This was the exact situation she had wanted, the two of them, alone and no one else around to hear her embarrassing secret.

“Yeah.” Dinah agreed.

“I tell ya, Dinah.” Oliver started, “You did really good for pre-owned.”

“Pre-owned?” Dinah questioned.

“A different way of saying ‘adopted.’” Oliver explained.

“Pre-owned?” Dinah asked again.

“What?” Oliver asked, “Trying to be funny.”

“More like the only one I’ll own.” Dinah commented, intending it to be the icebreaker.

The two stopped in their tracks as Oliver was clearly confused by this statement. He was unsure of what that meant and pushed the issue.

“Oliver.” Dinah started, “I… I have a confession to make.”

“Oh no.” Oliver said.

“Remember when we first got taken to the camp where we found Polybius?” Dinah asked, “And I got separated from you guys.”

“Yeah.” Oliver said, “But you were gone for all of an hour before Polybius busted down the door and pulled you out of there. Why?”

“Well…” Dinah started, “When I was in there, they, uh, did a thing to me.”

“I assumed that.” Oliver said, “And I figured you’d tell me what that thing was when you were ready. Are you about to tell me that now?”

“I am.” Dinah said, “Oliver, while I was in there, they... sterilized me.”

Dinah looked away in shame. Oliver was initially stunned by this confession. However, it didn’t take him long to recover.

“Sterilized?” Oliver questioned, making sure he heard that right.

“I can’t have children of my own!” Dinah said a bit louder than she meant to, “I can’t give you a child!”

Oliver paused for a moment as he thought about what he had just heard. Those seconds felt like an eternity to Dinah as she waited to hear his response.

“That…” Oliver started, in a calm tone, “Make so much sense.”

His response took Dinah a little off guard, as she had expected him to get upset with her and leave permanently. Not respond in a calm tone.

“It does?” Dinah asked.

“Yes!’ Oliver said, “It should have been obvious from the very beginning! I mean, with how defensive you get over Polybius… Gosh! I almost feel like an idiot for not figuring this out!”

“You’re not mad?” Dinah asked, now making eye contact with him.

“No!” Oliver said, “Dinah, you and I both know what they can do with genetics these days! I mean, look at Superboy! He’s a clone! I’m sure that there is some expensive process that I can afford so we can have a kid of our own if we really wanted to go down that route.”

Dinah let out a long sigh of relief before saying, “I never thought about that.”

“And why would you?” Oliver asked, “You had Polybius! I get why he means so much to you now!”

“You do?” Dinah asked.

“Of course!” Oliver said, “Polybius represents something you can never have. In your eyes, he’s the closest thing you’ll ever get to having a kid, and you’re terrified of losing that. Of losing him. That’s why you get so defensive about him! And the fact that he calls you ‘Mom’ means so much to you. Doesn’t it?”

“It means the world to me.” Dinah admitted.

“I’m glad.” Oliver told her, before pulling her into a hug, “Because it doesn’t matter if you’re sterile or not. Dinah, I love you!”

“I love you too!” Dinah said, returning the embrace.

Meanwhile, in Mount Justice, Polybius walked out of the Zeta Tube tunnel. He had initially expected to find the place in a horrific state due to the lack of his work. However, just by looking around, he could tell the place had been cleaned fairly recently and a very faint smell of Pine-Sol was still in the air.

“Polybius!” Batman called out.

Shifting his eyes towards the center of the room, the young man saw the dark knight, Martian Manhunter, and Red Tornado standing there.

The young man approached them, stood before the trio, and waited to hear what they had to say.

“There are two things we need you to see.” Batman said.

A screen then opened up next to Polybius. The young man quickly took note of the date and time, which was yesterday evening, right when he was having supper with his mother.

This caused a wave of confusion to hit the young man as he wondered how he was looking at a security video of a sparring session between Superboy and his mother at that same time.

“Okay…” Polybius said out loud, but keeping his eyes on the video, “Who photoshopped this?”

“It’s not photoshop.” Batman stated.

“Then what else could it be?” Polybius asked, “I was having supper with my mother at that time yesterday, and her technique is way off. That’s not her!”

“Keep watching.” Batman told him.

Polybius continued to watch the video. Eventually, Superboy got swiped under his legs and landed flat on his back.

“Almost had me that time Conner.” The ‘Black Canary’ in the video teased in a seductive tone.

“Yeah, ’cause that ain’t you.” Polybius muttered under his breath.

She then helped him up and held him close.

“You deserve a reward.” The ‘Black Canary’ in the video said.

Polybius’s eyes widened in shock when he saw her pull him in tight and gave him a long, deep, and passionate kiss on the lips. He felt a surge of anger rush through him but forced himself to keep it from boiling to the surface.

“The hell!?” Polybius questioned out loud, a slight sense of anger present in his tone, as he continued to watch.

Polybius then watched as the ‘Black Canary’ of the video pulled away and began to giggle. She then morphed back into Miss Martian.

“Really?” Polybius asked, now looking up at Batman, “Why are you showing me this? Because I’m telling you right now, if Miss Martian had pretended to be Donna, this would be a very different conversation.”

“You need to see the second video first.” Batman said.

Polybius cursed himself for opening his mouth and saying anything at all. Sure enough, the second video, dated to two days ago, and timed to when he was on the phone with Donna, was just like the first. The only difference is instead of Miss Martian pretending to be Black Canary, this time, she was pretending to be Wonder Girl.

Polybius let out a long sigh in an attempt to relieve his frustration before he said something he would regret.

“I don’t know if you guys know this yet, but less than a week ago, it went from ‘it’s complicated’ to ‘it’s quietly official’ between us.” Polybius started.

“We know.” Batman said.

“I’m glad.” Polybius said, “Cause right now, I’m mad as hell, but also very confused. Why am I being shown this?”

“We would like you to talk and help her.” Batman said.

“Oh, I’m talking to her and him.” Polybius asserted, “They’re both gonna get an earful from me about this. But help? I’m sorry, but what makes you think I would go out of my way to help her, or either one of them for that matter? After seeing them try to tear apart not only my mother’s relationship, which I just rekindled, mind you but also my less than a week-old relationship on top of that! What!?”

Internally, Polybius was working hard to keep his anger from boiling over. He wanted to cuss out Batman at that moment for even proposing such an absurd idea. However, he forced himself to swallow it and save it for the two teens in the video later.

“Hear us out.” Batman said.

“You have my attention.” Polybius told him, “Cause I really wanna hear the logic behind this one.”

Martian Manhunter then stepped forward, causing Polybius’s attention to shift over to him.

“Please understand Polybius that this is a common game on Mars.” Martian Manhunter started.

“So?” Polybius asked, “This ain’t Mars. This is Earth. We’re different here.”

“Yes.” Martian Manhunter agreed, “But my niece does not understand that.”

“Really?” Polybius asked, “What? She thought that Earth, a planet literally thousands of miles away, was going to be exactly like Mars? I’m sorry, but I find it hard to believe that she, or anyone old enough to have a logical thought on your home planet, would believe that.”

“I don’t think she thinks that.” Martian Manhunter said, “But, you see, on Mars, everyone is both a shapeshifter and a telepath. So no one is ever misled. And I am certain that Conner knew he was with M’gann from the very beginning.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Polybius said, “I shouldn’t have to say this out loud, but things are different here.”

“Yes, but she doesn’t seem to understand that.” Martian Manhunter said.

“And whose fault is that?” Polybius asked, “Cause to me, and this is just me thinking out loud, but it sounds like YOU are the one responsible here J’onn. Because YOU have failed to take the time to teach her that this is a serious violation of privacy here. Especially considering that all your people’s shapeshifting, if I remember correctly, happens on the cellular level, am I right?”

“Yes.” Martian Manhunter confirmed.

“So that means she’s essentially stealing their bodies.” Polybius pointed out.

“Not quite.” Martian Manhunter tried to defend.

“Then what is it?” Polybius asked, “Cause that’s what it looks and sounds like to me, and I’m smarter than the average bear. You go try to explain this to the average bear, and I’m pretty sure they are going to come to the same conclusion as I have.”

“Polybius is right.” Batman jumped in, “She is stealing their bodies without their consent.”

“How was this allowed to happen?” Polybius questioned Red Tornado, “Did you see this and not step in?”

“I was recharging my batteries during both times.” Red Tornado explained, “I put myself into sleep mode while recharging to pass the time and simulate sleeping.”

“Oh, so they waited for you to go to sleep.” Polybius said, “Which now makes it sound like they know this is wrong but are doing it anyway!”

“It does sound like that.” Red Tornado agreed.

“And that’s not even the most terrifying part of all of this!” Polybius started, “These are two HORNY teenagers! I can only imagine what roleplay night must be like between the two of them!”

That statement clearly took Martian Manhunter off guard. Polybius forced himself to stop his tangent and awaited a response.

“You make several excellent points.” Batman spoke up, “Which is why you are the most qualified person to help her in the way she needs.”

“And why would I do that?” Polybius asked again, “My job is the facility maintenance manager. I take care of every facility problem within and around Mount Justice. I made it very clear that I’m not their babysitter as soon as I was hired.”

“We were referring to your experience with assimilating to foreign cultures.” Red Tornado pointed out.

“Really?” Polybius asked before pointing at Martian Manhunter and saying, “He fails at his job, so now I gotta pick the slack? Last I checked, I don’t know the first thing about martian culture, which makes me hardly qualified to help her in the way that you all want me to.”

“It’s your experience that makes you qualified.” Batman stated.

“Which then goes right back to the question of: why would I do it?” Polybius asked, “Cause after seeing this, I’d rather get trapped in a half-full septic tank with open wounds than help her right now.”

“That seems a little extreme.” Martian Manhunter commented.

“It’s not.” Polybius said, “And here’s my next question, does my mother or Donna know about this? Cause both of them have a right to know, and if all don’t tell them, I sure as hell will.”

“They are next.” Batman said.

“And why show this to me first?” Polybius followed up.

“Because you could easily sway the two of them into cutting them off as well.” Batman said, “And we don’t want that to happen.”

“So you take out the biggest threat to your pic-a-nic basket first.” Polybius said, “Guess I am a Yogi Bear.”

After that, Batman called the two. Donna wasn’t able to come at the moment as she and Diana were swamped with a string of crimes. However, the date Polybius had set Oliver and Dinah on was at a close, and they both quickly began making their way to Mount Justice.

As they waited, Polybius began a full system scan of the cave to identify any problems that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. This scan would take an hour, and in the meantime, Polybius did two things.

The first was he walked down towards his room. The move-in with his mother was temporary, as he planned on moving back into the cave once the Montezuma situation was dealt with. Once there, he headed over to his safe and pulled out his handgun. The young man wanted to have some defense should Montezuma turn up unexpectedly and tucked the weapon away in an inside pocket of his jacket.

The second thing Polybius did was take a walk around Mount Justice himself, and look for anything wrong he could see with the naked eye. He avoided the bedrooms of the Team as he didn’t want to risk running into Superboy or Miss Martian as he would go off on them.

It wasn’t long after he finished that and rejoined Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Red Tornado that his mother and Oliver showed up.

Dinah immediately noticed the aggravated look her son was showing. He was looking down at the ground with his eyes closed, arms crossed, and shaking his head.

“Polybius?” Dinah asked as the two approached the group, “What’s wrong.”

“Mom…” Polybius started, opening his eyes and looking up at her, “You gotta see this.”

The screen then opened up with the first video of Superboy and ‘Black Canary’ sparring. Oliver and Dinah watched as it seemed normal to them. Polybius made sure to point out to them the date and time to them.

“Almost had me that time Conner.” The ‘Black Canary’ in the video teased.

Polybius’s eyes then locked on to Dinah and Oliver to see their reactions.

“You deserve a reward.” The ‘Black Canary’ in the video followed up.

Both Oliver and Dinahs’ jaws dropped, and they gasped when they saw her bring in Superboy close for the kiss.

“Dinah!” Oliver shouted.

“Freeze playback!” Dinah shouted, “That never happened! I was having dinner with Polybius at that time last night!”

“Hold on!” Polybius said, jumping in, “You gotta see this to the end. Play!”

The two then watched as the ‘Black Canary’ in the video then morphed back into Miss Martian.

Oliver busted out laughing on the spot. Dinah, however, was now just as aggravated as her son.

“Don’t you laugh!” Dinah shouted at him, “She and he and- eh! Oliver, this is not funny!”

Oliver calmed down, not because Dinah told him to, but because his eyes shifted past her for a moment, and he saw the death glare coming from Polybius. The look alone was enough to actually send chills down the man’s spine despite the monsters he had faced before in his life.

“N- No!” Oliver agreed before clearing his throat and saying, “Of course not.”

“Please understand-” Martian Manhunter started but got cut off by Polybius.

“Hold on!” Polybius jumped in, “Show them the other video!”

“Other video?” Oliver questioned.

“Do I want to see that?” Dinah asked.

“Oh trust me.” Polybius said, “It’s just as good as yours. Just hits me harder than it hits you.”

Polybius then pulled up the video where Miss Martian had pretended to be Wonder Girl and did the same thing with Superboy.

“Jesus Christ!” Oliver said, “She’s a freaking mad woman!”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Dinah said angrily, “First Oliver and me, now Donna and Polybius! Is she trying to tear relationships apart!?”

Martian Manhunter then tried to calmly explain the situation to her, explaining it the same way he explained it to Polybius. He also pressed that Miss Martian didn’t understand that things were different on Earth than on Mars.

“Then we’ll make her understand.” Dinah warned.

“Oh no, get this!” Polybius said, jumping in.

Polybius then explained to her what they were wanting him to do. How since he was apparently an ‘expert assimilator’ that he was best suited to help her adjust to Earth.

Dinah was quick to agree with her son on all the points he had made and how Miss Martian had been on Earth for long enough to know better. Dinah also slammed J’onn for not stepping up like he should have and helping her.

“You are right on all accounts.” Batman agreed, “However, we cannot change what has happened. You’ve got to deal with it.”

“Oh, we’re gonna deal with it.” Polybius promised him, “Cause the more I think about roleplay night between the two of them, I just keep getting more and more pissed over it.”

Dinah choked when she heard Polybius mention ‘roleplay’ as every horrid thought Polybius was having about that suddenly flooded into her mind as well.

“Yeah, that’s pretty messed up.” Oliver was quick to agree.

“She’s using my body to have- Eh!” Dinah started but couldn’t finish due to how enraged she had just become.

“We don’t have any evidence that they have done that.” Red Tornado hopped in.

“Do closed doors mean nothing to you?” Polybius asked, “Cause I’m sure that because of your lack of supervision, these horny teens are probably all doing each other cause that’s what unsupervised horny teens do.”

“Stop!” Dinah shouted, putting a hand up as well, “I don’t even want to think about that!”

Polybius stopped pressing the issue and looked over at Batman.

“Once you two calm down, go talk to them.” Batman said.

And that was the end of that conversation. Red Tornado and Batman left after that. Martian Manhunter and Oliver, on the other hand, stuck around to see what the two were going to do. It took both mother and son a minute to calm down first. Once they did, however, they began discussing how they were going to deal with the situation.

“Which one do you wanna yell at first?” Polybius asked.

“Perhaps, you two shouldn’t go in at the same time.” Oliver spoke up, “I’m not so sure how Superboy will react, but I think Miss Martian might feel cornered, overwhelmed, and very intimidated.”

“So?” Polybius asked before reasserting, “She’s not completely innocent here. Yes, J’onn has failed her, but she should really know better by now.”

“Oh come, on Polybius.” Oliver started, “You alone are the most intimidating person in the room. Well, maybe after Batman, but still!”

“Perhaps you should address the two at the same time.” Martian Manhunter offered, “That way, they have each other’s support, and you only have to say everything once.”

“That’s the first good idea I’ve heard all day.” Polybius agreed, “Mom?”

“That’s a good idea.” Dinah agreed, “Let’s pull them into Miss Martian’s room and have our conversation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 25! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, have a good one!


	26. Chapter 26: Fires of the Heart

_Chapter 26_

_Fires of the Heart..._

“Polybius!” Both Conner and M’gann said in surprise at the same time as this was the first time they had seen him since he was kidnapped.

“Save it.” Polybius replied, masking his anger behind sternness, “The four of us are gonna have a conversation.”

Polybius then walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He sighed in disappointment and let his mother begin the conversation.

“So, do you two have anything you want to tell us?” Dinah asked them.

As anyone could have guessed, the two both sported very confused looks, unsure of what Dinah was talking about.

“How about we be a bit more direct.” Polybius said, leaning up against the wall, “How about we talk about that little game that could have ruined lives here.”

“Ruined lives?” Conner asked.

“Yeah!” Polybius sharply countered, “The one where M’gann pretends to be another woman.”

“Easy Polybius.” Dinah tried to calm him.

As she said this, a slight look of terror came across M’gann’s face. Conner, on the other hand, maintained a stoic look.

“No, I’m not gonna be easy!” Polybius argued, “That could have destroyed your relationship with Oliver! Not only that but what if someone hacked our systems and an edited version of that clip fell into the wrong hands? G. Gordon’s hands? He’d have a field day with that, and it would ruin both your reputation and your life! Black Canary, nor any hero for that matter, could recover from that!”

“I know.” Dinah said, “But let’s stay civil about this.”

“And don’t even get me started about Donna.” Polybius followed up, ignoring his mother’s plea, “I mean, that could drag Diana down as well. Not only that, but you put both of those clips together; it makes me look like a freaking fool!”

“It does.” Dinah agreed before shifting back to Conner and M’gann and saying, “Which is why we are having this talk about this game.”

“Pay attention.” Polybius told them.

“Well, M’gann.” Dinah started, “J’onn told me that that game is quite common on Mars, and I’m sure you enjoy it. But here, things are very different. Very few people here are telepaths and even fewer shapeshifters. And most people are not familiar with that, and if somebody just happened to see you without knowing what is going on, it could lead to exactly what he just said could happen.”

“And just to reiterate, we’re talking about people’s reputations and lives here.” Polybius repeated, “Not only that, but this would come back to haunt both of you as well. Especially you, Conner. Cause you two don’t know it because Donna and I are keeping this on the down-low, but we just went from ‘it’s complicated’ to ‘it’s quietly official’ less than a week ago. We’re a couple now. And let me tell you, as a man, when you see someone try to or actually steal your girl, it will cause fights.”

“And you don’t want that.” Dinah added.

“I believe you.” Conner said.

Polybius then let out a long sigh as he let out a lot of frustration with it.

“I know I’ve been gone for a while.” Polybius said, now in a much calmer tone, “But this… This is not what I want to see. This is my first day back, and this is the first thing I see. Anybody who has been around myself and Donna when we’re together longer than ten minutes knows that there has always been something more between us than just ‘best friends.’ And I don’t need to be told to know that as soon as imposter me got hurt if she believed it was the real me, she would drop everything to come and take care of me. Mind both of you that this is built on years of one of, if not the, closest friendship I have ever had, and definitely the closest one I’ve had since my mother adopted me five years ago. She means so much to me, and I’m going, to be honest here, if I lose her, or worse, get betrayed by her of her own free will, that would probably be it for me. I don’t think I’d be able to fully come back from that one. With how betrayed I would feel, I would definitely go into a severe depression.”

M’gann looked like she was on the verge of tears as those words left Polybius’s mouth. Conner also looked upset and a little surprised at the last words of Polybius’s statement. Even his own mother looked surprised and upset over his words. However, the young man disregarded all their reactions as he then got up off the wall, walked towards his mother, and kept talking.

“And the same would go if it were my mother was the one betraying.” Polybius added, his tone now revealing just how upset he truly was, “And when she first stopped the video, she stopped it before she saw that it was actually you. If that was where the video ended, and we didn’t see that last part, that would drive a huge wedge between myself and my own mother! Because she and Oliver had gotten back together when that video went down. And if I were to find out that she was a cheater, and was willing to betray Oliver, the man she loves, then how could I justify trusting her? Hm? I couldn’t! I wouldn’t confide things in her like I do now. I would distance myself from her. Sure, she’d still be Mom, she always will be to me, but that doesn’t entitle her to my trust as nothing does!”

Polybius paused as he let out a long sigh to recollect himself as he felt like he was on the verge of breaking down.

“The reason I’m so mad is not because this happened.” Polybius admitted, “Sure, if you had pretended to be Diana, or Hawkwoman, or any other female for that matter, yeah, I’d be upset. But what is really getting me on this is the fact that you targeted the two people I care about most in this whole universe! This could have destroyed both them and me! And I can tell by your reactions that this was not your guys’ intent, but you can clearly see just how upset I am over this, knowing it was fake. If I had believed this was a real betrayal, that would be it for me. If I saw both of these videos without seeing you morph back into yourself, I would kill myself as I would have no one left the trust. There is no way in Hell I would trust you two, or anyone for that matter, with my feelings if I truly believed those two betrayed me. This could have destroyed my life!”

Polybius found himself having to pause for a moment to collect himself again. He made a fist and clenched it so tight it was shaking in the air. However, as he calmed down, he released it and sighed again.

“I know I come off as a pacifist.” Polybius went on, “I’ve seen and done more than enough fighting in my life. I’ve seen and done some stuff that haunts me even to this day and will for the rest of my life. Memories scared into my mind, never to be forgotten. And that’s why I chose not to fight. But with that being said, when someone threatens my mother or my new girlfriend and long-time best friend, I will fight. Now I know they can take care of themselves, which is why I don’t get involved. But should they fail, or be incapable to, then trust me when I say that there is no Hell that could hide that person who hurt them. They can pray to whatever god they want or the devil that damned them last. But NOTHING could nor will stop me from taking my revenge on that person. And it’s not going to be death because I know of fates far more frightening than death.”

Polybius sighed again, but this time, to get his anger under control as it was now starting to bubble over.

“Now, I don’t mean to scare you two.” Polybius quickly followed up in a calm tone, “But I want you two to see and understand just how badly you already have, and how badly you could have hurt me alone. I know you two care about me, and knowing that this wasn’t intentional, I can get over it. But please, for my sake, as well as everyone else’s, just be yourselves and don’t EVER do this again. Alright?”

Nobody immediately responded as everyone else in the room was in total shock. Even Dinah, his own mother, was surprised at Polybius’s words as it wasn’t like him to get emotional at all. What made it even more shocking is the slight quiver in Polybius’s voice when he finished that statement. However, this moment didn’t last long as Dinah was the first to snap out of the initial shock and follow up Polybius’s words.

“So you can see that among humans, that game could be very hurtful.” Dinah followed up, not needing to say anything else behind her son’s speech.

“I’m sorry.” M’gann was the first to speak up and turning away, “I’m really sorry.”

“Yeah.” Conner agreed, “Polybius, we didn’t mean to hurt you like that at all. I would never try to come between you and Donna like that! I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry just to me.” Polybius countered, his tone now taking up the same sternness from earlier, “You need to apologize to her and Donna as well.”

“It’s alright, Polybius.” Dinah said, before shifting her attention to M’gann, who looked like she was about to break down and start crying by putting a hand on her shoulder, “I’m not upset… Anymore. But please, M’gann, from now on, just be yourself.”

“This is myself!” M’gann shouted in a panic tone, suddenly turning and knocking Dinah’s hand off her shoulder.

Dinah, Polybius, and Conner all had surprised looks on their faces in response to the sudden outburst.

“This is who I am.” M’gann followed up.

Dinah was about to send Polybius and Conner out of the room. However, before she could, Batman came over the intercom calling for the Team to assemble. The two young heroes quickly rushed out of the room, the mother and adopted son following behind. They watched the two rush down the hall to the main room.

“There is something more there.” Polybius commented, “She’s hiding something.”

“She is,” Dinah agreed, already knowing what it was but choosing not to reveal it to Polybius.

“Gosh, I hate that so much.” Polybius started to complain, “I hate when people get judged because of how they were born. It’s so freaking narrow-minded and stupid. People can’t dictate the circumstances of their birth or what they look like. But what they can dictate is their words and actions, and that is what people should be judged for.”

“Speaking of words.” Dinah started, getting ready to change the conversation to get Polybius’s mind off, wondering what M’gann was hiding, “I think your words had a real effect on them.”

“You think so?” Polybius asked, “Cause they better have.”

“I think it did.” Dinah agreed, “Although I will admit, I didn’t realize how much this actually hurt you.”

“Yeah, well, it certainly did cut deep.” Polybius added, “Sad part was, I wasn’t exaggerating when I said any of that. Now, if I lose you to betrayal, and then Donna five years later, I’ll recover from that. But if I lose you two back to back to betrayal, that’s it for me. I won’t be coming back from that.”

“Well, fortunately, you never will.” Dinah assured him, “At least from me.”

Dinah then pulled her son into a comforting hug. Polybius eagerly returned it as he needed it and could never get enough of his mother’s hugs.

As the two embraced each other, meanwhile, at Arkham Asylum, all was quiet. However, this wasn’t destined to last long as a big man began to rise up from a turquoise blob on the floor in the staff latrines.

“Ha, almost too easy.” Montezuma chuckled to himself as he finished rising up.

The latrine was empty at that moment, so no guards were aware of Montezuma’s presence in the building yet. However, this would not last long as the Aztec began to put his plan in motion.

Creating a large turquoise blob on the wall, Montezuma created a portal into his realm. From here, three ahuitzotl walked out of it, numbered 1, 2, and 4.

Ahuitzotl looked very similar to large wild and soaking wet dogs and were indispensable from them except for their distinctive tails, which instead of being normal, were much longer and hand a long claw-like hand on the end of them meant for dragging victims into the rivers where they would normally kill them. These ahuitzotl, however, were here to kill everyone in sight and not waste time drowning them.

“Go.” Montezuma said, pointing at the door.

The three creatures snarled in response and rushed out the door. As soon as they burst out the door, screams of terror filled Montezuma’s ears as he began to laugh.

“Time to have some fun.” Montezuma commented as he followed them out.

The screams echoed throughout Arkham and into the female ward of the prison. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, as well as the other female inmates, were initially confused but highly interested in what was going on.

“Sounds like it’s prison-break time!” Harley cheered, “Come on, Iv, let’s go!”

“Right.” Poison Ivy agreed, “Just need a plant.”

“We can get one on the way!” Harley said as she jumped the rails, “Come on, it’s only a matter of time before Bats shows up!”

As the alarms began to blare across the prison, it went into lockdown mode. However, due to no one knowing what was going on, chaos ensued. On top of that, the heavy blast doors that were supposed to keep the inmates in failed to deploy, leaving the halls wide open to the sudden flood of criminals now making their escape.

This, however, proved to be disastrous, as the tight and narrow halls of Arkham made them perfect killing grounds for the dogs of Montezuma. With little room to maneuver, the long tails of the ahuitzotl could easily grab onto victims and subsequently make short work of them.

Harley and Ivy, however, were at first fortunate enough to not run into them. This wasn’t their first time breaking out of Arkham, and they had learned of escape routes few others knew about. The one they were planning on taking was going to take them right through the furnace room, where there was a small vent that led to an outside exit that was relatively unguarded. And in this chaos, both of them were quite sure it would be unguarded by the time they got there.

Turning a corner, Harley and Ivy ran into a guard who was on the radio and their back towards the two. Harley wasted no time delivering a hard punch to the back of the guard’s head, knocking them out.

“Ow!” Harley said as she waved her hand in front of her, “That hurt.”

“What is that!?” Someone shouted over the radio, “God, please, someone help us! AH!”

Hearing this made the two stop for a moment. They looked down at the radio and heard growling, followed by what sounded like someone’s throat getting ripped out.

“Oh, it sounds like my babies!” Harley cheered.

“Babies?” Ivy questioned.

“Bud and Lou!” Harley answered, “Gosh, I’ve missed them so much!”

“What!?” Ivy questioned, “When did you have time to have kids!?”

“They ain’t humans!” Harley countered, “They’re hyenas.”

“When did this happen!?” Ivy questioned.

“Before I moved in with you.” Harley started, any sense of humor vanishing in her tone, “Joker gave them rabies… I didn’t kill them. But I had to put them back in the zoo, so Joker would think they were dead.”

“Oh Harley.” Ivy said, taking up a sympathetic tone, “I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks.” Harley said as she picked up the guard’s baton, “Come on! Let’s bust outta here!”

The two then continued to make their way down to the furnace room. The trip was relatively uneventful save for the screams of terror in the distance, followed by the sound of bones being crushed. The sounds would have broken most people’s nerves, but two of these two hardened ladies it did not even affect them in the slightest.

“Here we are!” Harley said as they came up to the door of the room.

As soon as Harley’s hand bragged the knob, she winced in pain as she quickly drew her hand back. The knob was deceivingly hot and burned her skin as soon as she touched it.

“Ouch!” Harley said as she shook her hand in an attempt to cool it down, “That’s hot!”

Ivy put a hand on the door and felt the immense heat emanating from it.

“Something’s not right in there.” Ivy said, “There is no reason this should be this hot.”

“Well we can’t go back now!” Harley said, “By the time we get anywhere, this place will be flooded with cops and probably Bats too! We gotta push through!”

“Right.” Ivy agreed.

Taking off her orange prison top, Poison Ivy then used it to protect her hand as she flung open the door. And as soon as it did, both women took a step back as they got blasted by the sudden heatwave that came out of the room.

“Geez!” Ivy said as soon as she reached cool air, “There is something differently wrong with this.”

Looking into the room, it was clear someone had overloaded the furnace intentionally. The small singular vent in the room could not pump in enough cold air to cool down the room.

“Come on!” Harley encouraged, “Almost there!”

Braving the extreme heat, Ivy couldn’t help but feel like she was trapped inside an oven as the two made their way to the vent. She couldn’t help but think that it was a miracle how nothing had caught on fire yet in the room with how hot it was. But she did see a dead rat in the corner that looked like it had been baked alive.

Using their tops to protect their hands, the two women worked to get the vent open. It didn’t take them long as this wasn’t their first time breaking out this way.

However, unknown to either of them, a turquoise blob began to form and grow on the floor behind them. From it, slowly rose Montezuma with his eyes set on the two of them.

Smiling, the big man looked to his right to the furnace door. He had been the one to overload it as soon as he unleashed the ahuitzotl upon Arkham. He smiled as he then shifted his sights to the two women in the room.

Walking up right behind them without making a single noise, he quickly reached out and grabbed Poison Ivy.

“What the!?” Ivy shouted before even seeing who had grabbed her.

And she never would. That was all she said before Montezuma effortlessly tossed her headfirst into the furnace door. It wasn’t open but was made of metal, and making contact with it briefly knocked Ivy out.

“Ha! Almost too easy.” Montezuma chuckled.

“Too easy for this!” Harley shouted.

Using the baton she had grabbed earlier, she swung at the back of Montezuma’s head. It made contact, but due to Montezuma’s choice of headwear, it glided harmlessly right off his head.

Spinning back around, Montezuma backhanded Harley, not hard, but enough to put her out of the fight for a short while.

Hitting the ground dazed, all Harley could do was watch in horror as she helplessly watched Montezuma finish off Poison Ivy.

Walking up to her, Ivy had just regained consciousness when Montezuma grabbed her by her hair. Her head was pounding hard, and she was far too dazed to make any attempt at resisting him.

Opening up the furnace door, Montezuma saw the flames of the furnace inside raging.

“Too Mictlān with you!” Montezuma shouted.

In one swift motion, Montezuma threw Poison Ivy into the furnace and quickly shut the door behind her. The Aztec laughed as he heard her struggle inside, frantically and helplessly trying to kick the door open to escape but to no avail.

“RAHH!” Harley screamed out in a mix of terror and rage.

Suddenly snapped out of her daze by what was happening, Harley charged the Aztec with everything she had. However, she never reached him as she had to cross one of his turquoise puddles on the floor. And as soon as her left foot stepped in it, it sunk only an inch but had an iron grip that not even Superman could break free of. This caused her to do a faceplant into the ground hard but not knocking her out.

As the screams inside the furnace began to die down, Montezuma looked back at Harley Quinn.

“YOU FUCKING MONSTER!!!” Harley shouted at the man as she helplessly struggled to free her foot, “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!”

“Sure…” Montezuma chuckled as the screaming in the furnace stopped.

“YOU’RE GONNA FUCKING DIE! YOU HEAR ME!” Harley shouted.

“Whatever.” Montezuma brushed off, “Scream and yell all you want like I care. This is all part of the plan.”

“WHAT PLAN!?” Harley demanded, “THAT PLAN OF YOUR DEATH!?”

“No!” Montezuma said, “The plan to destroy Polybius.”

Harley looked up at Montezuma with tears running down her face as she continued to struggle. However, Montezuma didn’t stick around as he began to lower himself into a turquoise blob. It didn’t take him long to disappear, and as soon as he did, Harley was finally able to free her foot.

As soon as she was free, she picked herself up and rushed over to the furnace and flung open the door, burning her hands on the hot metal, and also not caring about it, but it was far too late. There was nothing left of Poison Ivy except a black, chard corpse. Seeing this caused Harley to pause for a moment out of pure sadness and shock at what had happened before rage then came back and quickly consumed her.

“RAH!” Harley shrieked as she slammed the furnace door.

As Harley went on a rampage, meanwhile, back at Mount Justice, Batman, who had just sent the Team off on a mission, now got word of the attack on Arkham.

“Any idea who?” Black Canary asked.

“Based on what Polybius has told me, it’s like Montezuma.” Batman said.

“Montezuma!?” Both Polybius and Canary asked, surprised.

“He’s gotta be freeing criminals to create a distraction either now or later.” Polybius said, believing that was the reason for the attack.

“We’ll find out soon enough.” Batman said, “For now, you two stay here.”

“Me?” Canary asked, surprised to hear the order.

“Monteuzma may be doing this to lure heroes closest to Polybius down to Arkham to attack and apprehend them.” Batman said.

“So?” Both Polybius and Canary asked.

“Bringing you might cause Montezuma to act more erratic and worsen the situation.” Batman explained.

“How?” Canary followed up.

“We also know that he is not alone.” Batman added, “He has dogs under his control that he is using to maximize terror and havoc. If we bring you, it might cause him to unleash more and only worsen the situation.”

Black Canary was about to object, but Polybius jumped in.

“Makes sense.” Polybius agreed, getting a surprised look from his mother, “Besides! He might be doing this as a distraction, get everyone away from me. If so, then I’ll need someone to watch over me.”

“You two can watch over each other.” Batman said, “Polybius, and recommendations on how we should engage?”

“If it were me picking a crew to go in, I’d want a Green Lantern, or anyone with long-distance ranged capabilities. Flight would also be something I would want going against him so that way I could avoid touching the floors, walls, and ceilings where he can rise up from his blobs. So I’d go ahead and throw in Doctor Fate as well. He might be able to do something.” Polybius stated, “However, under no circumstances should any of you physically touch him, and try to avoid his turquoise blobs. I don’t know if he can use them as pitfalls, but I wouldn’t test it.”

“Alright.” Batman said, turning to leave.

Using his communicator, he called for both Green Lanterns as well as Doctor Fate on his way out. As soon as he left, Polybius looked over at his mother, who still had a bit of a surprised look on her face.

“What?” Polybius questioned.

“I can take care of myself, Polybius.” His mother told him.

“I know.” Polybius replied, “It’s just, you’re not an ideal matchup for him. Even with your Canary Cry, he could just slip into his pocket realm and avoid you that way. Just to pop up silently elsewhere and attack you. Otherwise, you’re grounded to both melee combat and the ground itself, and that is not gonna work against him.”

Dinah knew her son was right and dropped the issue. Polybius always knew how to make the best matchups for missions, and if he said that he didn’t think she was a good matchup for Montezuma, she trusted his judgment.

“So…” Polybius started, pulling up his diagnostic, “Looks like generator 3 needs all of its belts replaced. Wanna help me do that?”

“Sure.” Dinah replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 26. I hope you enjoyed this Chapter, and as always, have a good one!


	27. Chapter 27: Petrified Pig

_Chapter 27_

_Petrified Pig..._

“If Belle Reve’s reputation wasn’t already shaken enough, the recent attack by the same man who attacked Arkham Asylum, as well as several other prominent prisons across America, who’s yet to be identified...” Cat Grant’s voice echoed into his room, “Sounds like the Justice League has got a real problem on their hands.”

The past few days had been nothing but a disaster for the League as well as America’s prison system. It turned out that Arkham Asylum was the first target on a list of prisons that Montezuma attacked, causing countless criminals’ mass escape. Crime was now at an all-time high, and as the League, the Team, and heroes across the states were certainly overwhelmed by the sudden and unprecedented rise.

Despite this, and after two days of chaos, things finally seemed to be getting under control. And even if they weren’t, the League was going to vote on new members today. Polybius already knew he was going to be voted on as they did every time, and every time was a unanimous vote to have him join, and every time, he declined.

Regardless, while Polybius would be enjoying Thanksgiving with his mother’s family later tonight, for now, he was working in Mount Justice. Actually, he was mopping the floors ahead of the Team’s Thanksgiving. They had invited him to join, but he declined.

“Goble, Goble!” Wally declared as he stuffed his face with food.

Polybius rolled his eyes at the teen.

“I love Thanksgiving!” Wally then declared.

Polybius tuned them out at this point as he kept working. However, he stopped when he spotted someone he didn’t recognize helping M’gann in the kitchen.

“There! Seasoned to perfection and ready for the oven!” The Mystery girl declared.

“Hold up.” Polybius said, “Who are you?”

Looking back, the young girl had a slight look of shock on her face when she laid eyes on him. However, this quickly faded away as Kid Flash spoke up.

“Oh that?” Wally asked, “That’s Zatanna. She’s the newest member of the Team.”

“Really?” Polybius asked.

“Y- Yeah.” Zatanna confirmed.

“Well then, pardon me for being so rude!” Polybius said, leaning his mop up against the wall and approaching her, “No one told me that you guys had expanded your ranks! My name is Polybius.”

Polybius offered a hand to the girl, and she took it. 

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about you.” Zatanna said.

“That’s cause you haven’t been here long enough.” Wally told her, “Trust me, this guy ain’t all he’s cracked up to be.”

“Like you are!” Polybius quickly countered, “Tell me, you like to present yourself as above average, but why is your skin like that?”

“Skin?” Wally questioned, matching the room’s confusion.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “Makes you look like an angry, attractive, anteater eating an Angus burger!”

“Attractive!?” Wally followed up as the room stifled laughs.

“I ain’t with that gay shit man!” Polybius quickly followed up, “But suddenly, it’s no wonder why you flirt with every woman you meet! You wanna hide the fact that you are actually in the closet!”

The room couldn’t hold back their laugher anymore and began laughing as Kid Flash quickly grew flustered from embarrassment.

“But don’t worry!” Polybius followed up, “I consider myself a humanist, so I don’t care if you’re gay. However, I’m not interested cause one: I’ve got a girlfriend, and two: I don’t swing that way.”

Watching Wally get flustered was an amusing sight to Polybius. As the room laughed, he scurried out like a rat from embarrassment.

“You see.” Polybius said, “I shut him up quick, didn’t I?”

“Oh, I think we’re gonna be good friends.” Zatanna stated.

“I’m glad.” Polybius replied.

“But, if you don’t mind me asking, who’s your girlfriend?” Zatanna followed up.

“Donna Troy.” Polybius said, “But you’d know her as Wonder Girl.”

“No way!” Zatanna said in disbelief, “There is no way you scored that well!”

“I sure did!” Polybius asserted, “We were supposed to have our first official date last night, but because of the whole Montezuma situation, that’s been delayed indefinitely.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Zatanna said,

“It’s fine.” Polybius said, “Still chat with her either with text, phone call, or facetime almost daily, so I’m still keeping in touch with her. But yeah, I’m actually pretty pissed off about it.”

“Hey, Polybius!” Superboy suddenly spoke up.

Looking back, Polybius saw Superboy standing up. Both he and Miss Martian had been awkwardly avoiding him ever since they had that conversation. The only interaction he had had with Superboy since was when he gave him a brush for Wolf as Polybius found the vents clogged with Wolf’s fur.

“Yeah?” Polybius asked calmly.

“Can you, uh, come with me?” Superboy asked.

“Sure!” Polybius replied before turning back to Zatanna and saying, “We’ll get more acquainted later.”

Walking off with Superboy, the two left the cave on Sphere. Polybius assumed that Superboy had wanted to talk to him in private about the situation. By being up in the sky on Sphere while Superman was on the Watchtower, nobody would be able to overhear them.

“So!” Polybius started as the two flew through the sky, “Uh… How’s it going?”

“Fine.” Superboy quickly replied, clearly lying.

“Good.” Polybius answered, faking his belief in the lie.

“Look, Polybius.” Superboy started, “I just want to say, I’m so sorry for coming between you and Donna.”

“It’s alright.” Polybius assured him, “Seriously, we’ve got our first official date is still gonna happen, and I’ve already explained the situation to her.”

“You did!?” Superboy asked, taken off guard by this information.

“I did.” Polybius confirmed, “And she was mad, but I managed to calm her down, and everything’s good.”

Superboy let out a sigh of relief.

“Honestly, the only thing we’re upset about right now is that because of Montezuma letting all these damn prisoners go, we had to postpone our first official date until further notice.” Polybius followed up, “She shares my frustration at this indefinite delay.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Superboy said.

“Thanks.” Polybius said, “Just sucks that this big man hates me for no clear reason.”

“Are you sure you have no idea?” Superboy asked.

“Man, I wish I did.” Polybius said, “It would at least be a starting point, but I’ve got nothing.”

“Maybe a clone did it.” Superboy said, “I mean, you said you were one of a whole bunch of clones, right? You are clone 1453?”

“I’m more than my number.” Polybius corrected, “But yes. I am.”

“Well, maybe Montezuma doesn’t realize that and thinks that you did the thing that is making him so mad.” Superboy offered.

Polybius already knew that that answer was wrong. However, he didn’t want to reveal more of himself to Superboy. So Polybius decided to try and step around that with a complicated, half truthful explanation.

“I don’t think so.” Polybius said, “That whole project was a long time ago. And last I checked, I’m the last one.”

“Still.” Superboy said, “You have to admit, it seems like a possibility.”

“Maybe.” Polybius said, dropping the matter, “What about you? Do you think that there may be more of you?”

“Huh?” Superboy questioned.

“Yeah!” Polybius said, “I mean, if they made one of you, certainly they have both the means and capability to make more. And who says they aren’t doing that right now!”

This proposed idea would later be reinforced by the time the two arrived at a location in DC. The person they were meeting, which Superboy had failed to tell Polybius, was Lex Luthor. This surprised Polybius, as he was caught off guard by this meeting.

The one between him and Superboy didn’t last long, which ended with Superboy heading back to where he was created. Lex Luthor had asked Superboy to go alone so he could speak with Polybius privately. Superboy initially hesitated, but Polybius assured him it was alright, and he left the two alone save for Lex Luthor’s assistant Mercy.

“Well.” Polybius started as soon as Superboy was out of sight, “You have my attention so long as you can make this interesting.”

This was not the first meeting between the two. Polybius had met Luthor some years back by accident when he was new. Polybius didn’t know who he was back then and almost accidentally created a bad situation for Superman due to his poor English. Luthor had tried to take advantage of Polybius that day, capitalizing on his abysmal English skills and lack of world knowledge to pry him for answers he wanted. However, Polybius was smart enough to figure out what was going on and gave Luthor false information that led to that plot’s ultimate foil. Regardless, Polybius had a very poor opinion of Luthor ever since, and Polybius even gave him his own nickname.

“I believe I can.” Lex Luthor said, “But first! Harley!”

Polybius was thrown for a loop when he saw Harley Quinn step out of the limo. The young man was not expecting this, and mentally, he went on the defensive.

“Well then.” Polybius said, “You’ve certainly made this interesting.”

“So you’re the real Polybius!” Harley spoke up, “Last one I saw was a phony.”

“Let’s stay focused here.” Lex Luthor said.

“Yeah.” Polybius agreed, “So what is this about?”

“It’s about a common enemy of ours.” Luthor started.

“Montezuma?” Polybius asked, taking a stab in the dark.

“Yes.” Luthor confirmed.

“Okay…” Polybius started, “What about him?”

“My associates and I are concerned about him.” Luthor said.

“Like I care.” Polybius followed up, “See that creek over there? Widen it with your tears.”

“Now, now, Polybius!” Luthor said in a calm yet seductive manner, “There is no need to get so hostile.”

“The first time we met, you tried to take advantage of me. Piss off!” Polybius countered, “I’m gonna be as hostile as a freaking want to be.”

“Fine.” Luthor said, “However, the issue still stands. Montezuma is both your enemy and mine. I don’t see why we can’t work together on this. I am informed that he harbors a lot of hate for you. Isn’t that right, Harley?”

“He sure does!” Harley confirmed.

“Well one, I’m informed that y’all got shit y’all really shouldn’t have.” Polybius started, “And two, Mister Luthor, you look like a petrified pig in a business suit.”

That was Polybius’s personal nickname for him. Every time Polybius saw the man, he’d yell out, ‘It’s a petrified pig!’

“Now that’s awfully rude.” Luthor replied as Harley laughed.

“Yeah, well, the crazy thing is, I don’t like to be taken advantage of. Huh? Weird, I know, but I just don’t.” Polybius said, “And you look like you’re about to ask me for some hotdog water. I don’t have none.”

Luthor sighed as he shook his head. Harley, meanwhile, kept laughing at Polybius’s roasts, as Polybius did not care about Luthor. Not only that, but because he wasn’t a formal part of the League, his actions weren’t a reflection of them, and he was free to say whatever he wanted, and he was enjoying himself greatly.

“Let’s try this again.” Luthor said, recomposing himself, “We’re not here to talk about me, we’re here to talk about Montezuma.”

“I hope he gives you problems.” Polybius was quick to say, “And if you gonna ask me for help, you’ve lost your mind. You being freed of that prison we were in was unfortunate. Honestly, you would be better locked away, and the key smelted down to molten metal and then poured on the lock so you couldn’t escape.”

“Perhaps, you should hear us out first.” Luthor offered.

“Nah, fam.” Polybius countered, “If Montezuma is causing you problems, then that’s fine by me! I don’t care! In fact, it would warm my heart if it wasn’t already as cold as arctic ice. Which, that alone, should tell you everything you need to know about me.”

“Would ya please listen!” Harley jumped in, “I want Montezuma dead! And you’re the best person to help me with that.”

“And why would I help you?” Polybius asked.

“Cause it’s Montezuma.” Harley said, “What if he goes after Wonda Girl? Or your Mom?”

“Then he’s got another thing coming.” Polybius said, “He isn’t going to catch me off guard this time.”

“So you already know him!” Luthor said.

“This ain’t my first round with him.” Polybius said, “And when he finally works up the courage to show his face to me, it’ll be the last.”

“Perfect!” Luthor said, “You see, our interests do line up.”

“And yet again, why would I help you?” Polybius asked.

“Because if you don’t, bad things are going to start happening.” Luthor warned.

“Is this the part where you threaten me?” Polybius asked as he unzipped his jacket, “Cause if it is, your threat game is weak.”

“Oh, please.” Luthor said, “I’m not threatening you. I’m just stating the obvious. If Montezuma is allowed to run around unopposed, then clearly that means bad things for you? He’s after you and you alone. Everything else seems secondary to him. If we want to stop him, then we should be working together.”

“And what problems does he cause you?” Polybius asked, “I’m sure you’ve got blood contracts with at least a dozen of the prisoners Monteauma just liberated. Not only that, but it’s because of him that you got to escape that prison we were in. So tell me where he is causing you problems?”

“Montezuma’s rogue behaviors present a threat to LexCorp, as well as my associates. The sudden influx of criminals has made things far more dangerous, especially in transportation, where numerous vehicles are getting ambushed and looted.”

“Then get better vehicles.’ Polybius countered, “Oh, better yet, assign them to a convoy.”

“Now, that costs money.” Luthor said.

“And it would be absolutely terrible if you, a billionaire, had to spend money.” Polybius sarcastically remarked, “Considering you paid less in taxes than I did last year. And I make not even 0.1% in a year of what you make in an hour. Yeah, terrible.”

“Now, now, let’s not get in that discussion.” Luthor said, “Let’s stay focused.”

“No, I am focused.” Polybius said, “And I feel like I’m talking to a brick wall about why I won’t help you.”

“You are not listening to us!” Harley suddenly piped up, “He killed Poison Ivy in cold blood! Yeah, sure, she was a psycho, but she was my psycho!”

“You two got together?” Polybius asked.

“Yeah!” Harley said, “And I want to rip off his head!”

“That sucks.” Polybius said, “I wish you the best of luck with that, but that’s about all you’re gonna get from me.”

“And what if Montezuma kills more people?” Luthor asked, “You would be responsible for it.”

“I don’t care.” Polybius honestly replied, clearly catching the two by surprise, “I ain’t like the League. I don’t care if I got blood on my hands, just like you two! I’ve been through more than enough to desensitize me to that kind of stuff.”

“What about Wonda Girl?” Harley asked, “Or your mother? What would they think about it?”

“They’d be glad that I’m not helping criminals!” Polybius sharply countered.

“Are you sure we can’t convince you otherwise?” Luthor asked.

“No!” Polybius said, “I am not gonna help you! Also, you look like the zombies from the movie ‘I am Legend!’ Damn, it’s no wonder why we’re meeting under a bridge on a cloudy day! That way, the sun can’t hurt you! Ha!”

“That’s a shame.” Luthor said, “I was hoping we could reach an agreement.”

“Yeah, well, your hope just died, now didn’t it?” Polybius asked.

“Let me correct myself.” Luthor said, “I was hoping we could reach an agreement before I had to do this.”

“Do what?” Polybius asked, “Come at me with a better threat?”

“This is not a threat.” Luthor said, “But rather, a consequence of your rejection.”

“A consequence?” Polybius asked.

“Yes.” Luthor said, “You see, Polybius, with Montezuma wanting you dead and all this trouble, a lot of people are going to come after you. Now, the public doesn’t know about his obsession with you, not yet, but it would simply be terrible if someone told the world that he’s after you.”

“Ha!” Polybius laughed, “You think that’s gonna motivate me to help you?”

“Think about it.” Luthor said, “Think about how the public would react. They’re scared now, and if they believe that by turning you over to him will stop this madness. Then I don’t think even the League could save you.”

“They wouldn’t have to.” Polybius said confidently, “Cause I can save myself.”

“Oh really?” Luthor asked.

“Yeah.” Polybius said, “Between you and me, I’ve got more battles under my belt than Wonder Woman’s panties got stars. And I also know you’ve got a sister. Lena Luthor. It would be a real shame if something bad were to happen to her.”

“But you’re with the League!” Luthor countered, “I doubt your morals will accommodate that.”

“I don’t hold myself like that.” Polybius countered, “Unlike them, I’m not held back by some petty moral code. I don’t have that. This means, in case you can’t figure it out, I will stop at nothing and do whatever it takes. And trust me, there are fates far more fidgeting than death.”

Luthor was doing a good job at hiding the fact that he was taken off guard by Polybius. Normally, he was an excellent people reader, but not with Polybius. He couldn’t tell if the young man was bluffing or not.

“Then I’ll go and tell!” Harley said.

“And risk hurting Bud and Lu?” Polybius followed up.

“Don’t you dare!” Harley said.

“I won’t.” Polybius said, “So long as you don’t.”

“You are very confident, Polybius.” Luthor remarked, “And while you are clearly not going to work with us, it’s clear you are still going to help us take down Montezuma, even if it is indirectly.”

“And that’s all it’ll be.” Polybius said, “But unlike you, petrified pig, I don’t make threats. I make promises. And they still stand.”

“Good.” Luthor said, “The League could use an influence like you. They might actually get some good work done.”

“Maybe.” Polybius replied, “But, tell me, are you gonna go public?”

“No.” Luthor said, “I don’t think we will. With you this confident in yourself, it’s clear that Montezuma doesn’t fully realize who he is taking on.”

“Good.” Polybius said, “Anything else?”

“No.” Luthor said, “Would you like me to call you a cab?”

“With how notorious you are for bugging them!?” Polybius followed up, “No thanks, I’ll walk.”

It didn’t take Polybius long to make his way to the Hall of Justice. Even though it was closed today, Polybius was able to use his own ID to get into the building and get to the back. From there, he returned to the Cave and went right back to mopping.

Meanwhile, Claudia was pushing herself harder than she really should. Her endless drive to work was eating away at her while she was in her bed recovering, and she couldn’t take it anymore. She forced herself to get up and head down to her office.

After straightening up the damage done during the raid, she got right back to work. Fortunately, nothing super important was damaged, and anything that was could easily be replaced.

As soon as Claudia began looking for signs of entity 82, she got bombarded with news story after news story of the prison breaks across America. Apparently, they were all linked to a ‘Montezuma’ person who had unleashed some strange dogs upon them.

“Not 82.” Claudia commented as she finished reading the one about Belle Reve, “But certainly interesting.”

Claudia made sure to take down a few notes about the entire situation in one of her many notebooks and then shoved it away in a drawer likely to be forgotten for the rest of time.

Meanwhile, Montezuma launched his attack on the docks. Rising up from a turquoise blob, he began attacking dock workers. However, this attack didn’t go unopposed for long as Red Arrow, who just so happened to be in the area, arrived on the scene and shot an explosive arrow at him.

Montezuma was taken off guard by the sudden attack as this was the first time he had been seriously opposed by a hero.

“Stop!” Red Arrow ordered.

Montezuma saw the ginger standing on top of a ship with an arrow pointing right at him. When the two made eye contact, Montezuma could see the surprise on Red Arrow’s face when he realized he was facing the Montezuma.

“You!” Red Arrow said, “You’re going to pay for what you did!”

“Sure!” Montezuma said, “And you’d hate me for why I did it.”

Letting loose the arrow, Montezuma managed to avoid it but got caught in the fast-acting foam and got stuck in it.

Seeing no threat, Red Arrow jumped down from the ship and approached the man, a new arrow already in his quiver.

“So why’d you do it?” Red Arrow asked, “Who were you trying to break out?”

“Ha!” Montezuma laughed, “I wasn’t trying to break anyone out!”

“Then why attack the prisons!?” Red Arrow demanded.

“I’ll tell you why!” Montezuma teased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Chapter 27! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, have a good one!


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